A Phoenix Dies
by twm2002
Summary: Ezra Bridger has been declared dead by the Empire on a mission gone awry. Sabine and the crew have been sent reeling while their lost friend has been rescued by two mysterious Jedi students who need him. When the Jedi finally relent and ask to be led to Yavin IV things become more complicated and have changed, especially after Ezra has grown close to one of his saviors.
1. Chapter 1

**So for this story I thought aobut adding something like as soundtrack to add more emotion to the scenes, characters, and story in general. Every chapter will have one or two songs to go along with it in order to make it feel like a movie rather than just another story. The songs will be in brackets when they're to be played along with the story. They should all be on Spotify if you use that and hopefully YouTube.**

 _(_ "Finale" by Danny Elfman)

"Ezra. Ezra wake up, it's time to get ready".

He groaned as he rolled over in his cramp bunk. The blankets formed a cocoon around him while the soft mattress supported his weight. It was too early to do any of the preparation necessary for today's mission. In his head he started comparing his options; he could get up to prepare for another life-threatening mission or he could return to the sweet lands of the dream world. A smile crept up on his face while the memories of his dream came to mind.

Ezra's dream placed him in one of the many plains of Lothal, the winds blowing through his shortened dark blue hair. There was no smoke, no death or destruction, and no flags of the Empire hanging off of the buildings in the distance. He felt at peace for the first time in a long time. It wasn't particularly eventful, but it really didn't have to be at that time. A voice called his name from behind and he knew who it was. Ezra didn't turn or further acknowledge who it was since the voice simply let him know that it was there. A hand slid into his right palm feeling so soft…

 _Zap_

"Agh!" Ezra yelled while the mild electric shock knocked him off of his top bunk. He fell to the floor of the _Ghost_ with a resounding thud, pain slithering its way up his back stopping once it came to the base of his neck. His hand began to rub the exposed skin above his shoulders in an attempt to soothe the soreness that had come with his fall.

Blue eyes glared daggers at the orange and white droid who raised his mechanical hand in triumph. If he could then Ezra may dismantle the droid right there on the spot, if only its owner wasn't standing right beside it looking down upon him with an amused smile on her face.

"Well, thanks Chop" Hera said to the droid as it spoke its binary language in return. "Why don't you go check with Zeb to see if he needs a hand down in the cargo hold?" After a quick binary affirmative, the droid rolled out of the room without another sound. Hera then turned her attention back towards the still seething Ezra on the ground.

"I don't think that was very necessary, I was getting up" he said to her as she watched with a sympathetic expression.

"Mhmm, it sure looked like you were. You should get your things together, grab breakfast, and meet us in at the dejarik table. We'll finalize our objectives then". Ezra nodded in response to her command then watched her leave out the door towards the cockpit.

Knowing full well that his reprieve from normal life was over the young man of seventeen gathered his towel as well as a fresh set of under-clothing then made his way for the sonic shower down the hall. He tried in vain to wipe the last remnants of sleep from his eyes with his palms. It wasn't very often that he was able to sleep well anymore, and it was even more rare to have such a pleasant dream like that, which only made him more bitter about waking up. Showers had a tendency to soothe those sour feelings so at least that was something to look forward to.

The door to the small refresher slid open and Ezra dropped his things on the floor. He locked the door using a gesture from the Force then undressed from his signature orange jumpsuit and his dirty, stained, undershirt and shorts. He reached for the shower handle only to find that nothing came down. Turning the knob back to its original spot then trying again didn't help very much either. Growing irritated, Ezra banged the shower stall wall in response while whispering curses to himself.

"Shower doesn't work Ezra" Kanan called out from behind the now locked door. "Just another thing that needs repairs. Once we finish up today we'll go pick up a new pump to get it working. Until then we'll all have to wait".

"It's going to be one of those days" Ezra said in frustration. With as much angry force as he could, he tossed his fresh undergarments back on followed by his orange jumpsuit. He brushed his teeth with an angry vigor that could be felt by anyone, no matter their Force sensitivity or lack thereof. He scowled back to the room where he tossed his clothing haphazardly before finding his way to the small kitchenette.

A strong, crisp aroma called to him with every step he took towards the room. He could hear silverware clattering against a clay mug, which meant someone was making their strong morning brew. Ezra walked into the kitchen to see Sabine in her full armor mixing blue cream into the brown morning-drink she had every single morning - personally, it was too bitter for him, but he could see how it could wake someone up in the morning. Her long two shaded purple hair stood out among all of the dull gray colors of the room. She was definitely looking more attentive than he was this morning. Her face looked relaxed and her brown eyes bore nothing of the anger or annoyance that Ezra had within thirty minutes of being rudely awakened.

Sabine looked up as she heard his footsteps when he walked into the room. She took one look at him then grinned at his obviously foul look and mood. It wasn't very often that he looked this way; most of the time he was cheerful or a calming presence that she came to rely on. The past few years had taken them from one arrogant teenage boy and another moody, irritable teenage girl to a reliable team. They still had their moments for sure, but for the most part they had matured into a reliable partnership and an even better friendship.

"Good morning" she said a little too joyfully for his taste. "Did you have a rough night?"

"Not night, but morning" his stern voice said to her as he walked over to the refrigeration unit. His hands moved around the different liquids and foods in search of some mixed fruit bowl or at least blue milk for cereal. As he looked around he continued to explain his morning to Sabine who only smirked at his recounting of events.

Sabine took a long sip of her drink before speaking, "sounds like a pretty poor morning so far Ezra. If you're looking for the milk by the way I just finished it off for my caf".

Ezra closed the fridge harder than he meant to, but not before he grabbed a cup full of mixed orange, green, and yellow berries that had been coated in spices. His scowl only deepened as he looked at his far second choice for his morning meal.

"If only I could go back to my dream" he said quiet and more to himself than to Sabine. Ezra took his breakfast to the counter to her left to look for a spoon in one of the drawer. To his complete expectations there were no spoons only knives. Ezra's head dropped to the side in almost disbelief at the lack of luck.

"Dreams are almost always better than reality. It must've been pretty good if you want to go back to it so bad". Ezra didn't take the hint to tell explain what happened, which only made a point that he wasn't in his usual mood today. To be honest, it wasn't something she liked to see. He shouldn't be acting this way even though his reasons had so far been justified. "Tell me about it" she said hoping that it would at least help his foul mood.

"About what? You already know about my morning" Ezra replied as he speared a berry with the knife he was forced to use.

Sabine sat the cup on the counter and walked in front of Ezra with her hands placed firmly on her hips. The frown she wore could rival Ezra's although it was certainly for different reasons. She waited until he looked up at her with his still sour scowl.

"Don't give me an attitude Ezra. Everyone has bad mornings so you're not anything special in that regard. You can't let this ruin your day since it's just beginning and it's going to affect everyone else and that's not fair to them. Got it?"

Looking down at the speared berry on his knife he nodded. It didn't help his mood being berated like that, but she had a point. There was a mission today, acting like a spoilt child wasn't going to help anyone. He had to be mature and suck it up for now or at least keep it to himself. He wasn't fourteen anymore, now was the time to stop acting like it. There was a lot to prove to his friends at this point in time too. Being a brat wasn't a desirable trait for anybody to have.

"Good" she replied. "Now, tell me about why this dream of yours was so good".

Ezra finally stuck the orange berry in his mouth, relishing the sweet but tangy taste as the fruit burst. An empty stomach would more than likely be a high contributing factor to a bad day. He put down the knife on the counter besides his cup of fruit then took a moment to organize his thoughts.

"I'm used to my dreams being dark in theme. Most of the time they're all about something going wrong on a mission or reliving the most terrifying moments of my life. The other day I had one about the Inquisitors luring me into some base in space with you and Kanan as the bait. When I got there, they had already killed you both. Those are the most common…and the ones I hate most.

This last one though was nothing like that. In this one I was home on Lothal, but everything was exactly how I wanted it to be. I was in the plains near my house, the grass I stood in was all green. White clouds dotted the sky rather than the gray ones we see all the time. My home town was off in the distance, and I could feel people through the Force – they were all happy with their lives, content to be there. No Imperial insignias or banners were hanging from the buildings this time. Then I remember someone calling my name from behind me, I didn't even turn since I knew who it was. Their hand touched mine and –"

Hera's voice called out from the main room where they usually had their pre-mission briefings, "hey, are you two almost done? We need to get things started".

"Be right there!" Sabine yelled back. She reached past Ezra to grab her cup of caf then looked at him with squinting eyes, "don't think you're done with that dream. I want to know who it was that would want to touch those dirty hands".

"You'd be surprised" he replied as he grabbed the rest of his fruit and he could have sworn he saw her shiver as she flashed him a teasing smirk while she walked away. He followed her into the briefing area where the rest of the crew was already sitting. Noticing the empty seat next to his Jedi tutor Ezra walked over to the spot then planted himself. He stabbed another berry and happily took a bite while he waited for Hera to take her spot near the holotable as she usually did to brief them.

The twi'lek took her spot in front of the four other sitting crew member with Chopper at her side. Hera's finger danced over several buttons until a small map of an aircraft landing strip appeared in front of the crew along with a hologram of a new type of TIE-fighter beside it.

"This is the TIE defender, a new fighter that may be able to turn even the best rebel ships into scraps. It's better in every way than the typical fighters that we're used to. Faster, deadlier, and unknown in a lot of ways. Our mission is simple, get as much information we can on the ship then get out of there – that is it.

This airfield here is on Lothal out in the prairie. It's isolated for the most part, but we still need to use stealth to infiltrate. Our intel indicated that a strong Imperial presence will be at the base once we arrive so there's no point in having all of us go. For this one Ezra will take Chopper to be air dropped just outside the base where you two will download the specs for the ship so we can bring it back to the Rebellion. Kanan, Sabine, and Zeb will be dropped off after Ezra and Chopper on this hill that overlooks the base. I want you three to scout for any potential threats that could compromise the mission. I'll be ready to pick you all up at a moment's notice.

Any questions?"

"Why aren't I going with them?" Sabine asked almost immediately. "Ezra and I are almost always a team and always effective. I could have his back in case anything goes wrong as they usually tend to do".

Hera placed her hands on her hips much like Sabine had done when berating Ezra earlier. Her tone wasn't as reprimanding, but it did hold just as much authority, "your helmet can scan for heat signatures from a distance and I would rather have you, Kanan, and Zeb on overkill with recon than double our chances of being spotted at the base".

"But Hera – " Sabine tried again.

"I'm sorry Sabine, but the plan is set. You should all get yourselves ready" Hera said putting her foot down. She then made a swift exit to the cockpit to take them to their destination leaving the other Specters to prepare themselves for what should be an easy mission.

As the group was all about to head off in their own respective directions Ezra watched Sabine storm off to her room where the door slid shut almost immediately afterwards. Everyone looked on at the minor scene that had unfolded all puzzled at the actions of their Mandalorian friend.

"Sheesh, it's not a big deal. After all, I don't think that three people watching you are going to be enough. You need as much supervision as possible" Zeb said earning a glare from Ezra.

"Well you're about as stealthy as an explosion so it's no wonder you have to be stuck with the easy job. Besides, I have the skill to pull this off".

"I could be stealthy" Zeb replied haughtily, "but I would just rather be the muscle that takes out as many stormtroopers as possible. Save the grunt work for you since you can't fit into the vents anymore".

Before the argument could continue Kanan placed a hand on Ezra's shoulder. It was all the younger man needed to know that it was time to stop the banter and time to listen to what had to be said. Zeb walked back to the cargo hold where he was preparing in his own ways leaving the two Jedi alone.

"You should go talk to her" Kanan said. "Something's obviously upset her, and I don't think it's the mission".

"What makes you think she'd want to talk to me?"

"If you haven't noticed Ezra, you're as close to Sabine as anyone. You two have a good friendship and friends are there for each other. If her storming off was surprising to us then she's probably hiding something, something she may want to vent". Ezra thought about what Kanan had to say, and while that was good advice for the layperson it may not work for a certain, proud Mandalorian.

"It's up to you" Kanan said removing his hand from his student's shoulder. "If I were going to do it though then I would make it quick. You don't have a lot of time to spare". Then the Jedi Knight walked off into the cockpit to join Hera, his boots sounding off as they made contact with the metal floor of the _Ghost._

A few years ago he may have let Sabine sit and stew over her emotions in her room by herself. He may have even used the situation to be suave then try to lay some smooth lines to her to play the part of the hunk that every girl could want. Now though, he wasn't as arrogant or cocky to try anything like that. Three years could mature a person quite a bit, and Ezra didn't want to be the annoyance that made her mood worse. Perhaps he could help brighten her mood as she did for him not too long ago. Like Kanan said, it's what friends do.

Trying to make his boots sound as loud as possible so he could signal his approach, Ezra made up his mind to talk to Sabine. Going into a fight with a busy mind made one much less effective to the point where it could be a danger to all involved. Sometimes talking would help alleviate such thoughts since meditating wouldn't help her as much as it helped someone with Force powers.

With soft hands Ezra knocked on the door only to have no response. He furrowed his eyebrows in slight confusion since he knew that she was in her room. Did she not want to talk to him? If so then he would understand if she told him that she would want to be alone. It wasn't unusual to feel that way, he felt just like that when he found out about his parents after all.

His knuckle tapped again softly on the door, but this time he tried to talk to her as well, "Sabine, are you in there?" Again, nothing. He reached out with the Force to sense if she was in her room and she was. With his limited Force-empathy skill he could somewhat sense that there was a plethora of th"Iings running through her brain. He tried hard to focus on what they were, but his skill wasn't honed enough for him to make out anything specific.

"Alright. I just kinda, sorta, came by to see if something was…off. Maybe it was nothing, but it seemed like something was up. If you want to talk then I'll be in the hold until my drop off". His voice sounded confident, but inside Ezra felt hurt. He tried not to be, he tried to be strong, but being closed off from someone you care about doesn't feel pleasant in the slightest. His gut began to feel a little heavy as he walked away from the painted door of Sabine. It was an overreaction for sure, but it still felt…well, bad. She had just talked him out of a bad first half-hour of his day, but she wasn't willing to give him a chance to do the same. He may not have given her a good reason to want to talk to him though since the last time they had a heart to heart he had taken a jab at her during the darksaber training sessions. It felt a little satisfying to get in that last word, but it still wasn't fair of him. He probably wouldn't want to have a deep conversation with someone if they did that to him too.

Ezra hung his head lower as he got closer to the cargo hold. He stuffed his hands in his pockets in an attempt to keep them from fiddling with anything he passed. Hopefully he looked like he was deep in thought rather than trying to hide what he was feeling. Inside, he was reprimanding himself for being so open, so ready to share his problems to Sabine so quickly. It should've been something he handled internally rather than depending on someone to help him. Maybe then being ignored wouldn't sting, but then again it wasn't that he was ignored by just anyone…no, he was overreacting that's all.

He got to the hold once he had packed his things in a pack then put on his best façade for Zeb, and Chopper who had been there before him. They barely noticed his presence as they continued their tasks for what should be a quiet mission. He hoped beyond all hope that it was a quiet mission. Today wasn't a day for the dramatic or for the eventful in his eyes. He'd much rather get this over with then do something else, like going back to bed.

Ezra thought all about his dream life the rest of the way to the mission. He thought about what life would be like if there was no Empire or danger to the Galaxy. He pictured a life where he lived with his parents at his home in Lothal. It would be a peaceful one where they would take trips to the market for groceries, have a Lothal-cat to take care of, and maybe he would merge that family with the one he's with now.

"Specter-six, it's time" Hera's voice came through on his wrist-communicator. He opened his eyes, breaking his connection to his dream world. With one last deep breath Ezra stood at the edge of the _Ghost's_ ramp with Chopper by his side. He gave the metal menace one spiteful look – not forgetting about earlier that morning – before taking steps towards the lowering ramp.

The ship landed with a heavy thud letting all inside know that the first drop off point had been reached. Chopper rolled out of the ship right on Ezra's heels and onto the dry, crisp grass of Lothal. The young Jedi could see the airbase only a lengthy walk away. Tightening his backpack's straps Ezra did one last check for his things then motioned for Chopper to follow him.

"Come on Chop" he said. "Let's hope this morning doesn't get any worse".


	2. Chapter 2

Both Ezra and Chopper moved across the dry, crisp dead grass towards the base that held their objective. Swirling winds mixed with heat brushed up against Ezra's neck as the _Ghost_ ignited the engines to take off. Something tugged at the young man through the Force causing him to turn around to watch the ship disappear from view behind some of the rocky mountains that decorate the plains of his home planet. He frowned once he was alone with Hera's droid and wondered what had caused him to turn around. It felt as though something wanted him to watch it fly off like it had done so many times before.

Beeps from Chopper broke his ruminations and brought him back to the present. Distractions would only get him killed today. Ezra shook his head to clear his thoughts and brought his attention back to the task at hand. The orange and white astromech droid kept its optical port on him the entire time. It beeped once more in its binary language that the young Jedi luckily understood.

"No Chop, nothing is wrong with them. I just…felt something". More beeps and toots followed the quick response by the Jedi earning Hera's droid a serious glare. "I won't compromise the mission due to my 'lack of focus'. Let's just go".

The pair walked in silence, which was more than fine with Ezra. He didn't want to deal with the droid's tormenting proclamations during the length of their walk. It wouldn't take very long for those to become unbearable to the point where he would probably leave the droid at the base to be taken care of by the Stormtroopers. Sure, he would probably feel bad for Hera since Chopper was a sort of family heirloom, but the droid has cause serious problems for everyone else. There could be a better droid out there for them to use as well, maybe one not so abusive.

Dead grass crunched beneath Ezra's feet creating a pleasing ambiance of sound along with the wind that came by them both. Chopper's wheels added to the soothing mixture of noise that served to calm his stress from the morning. Every few crunches were followed by deep breaths in an effort to center himself in the Force. There was no time for meditation right now, nor was there time to do it this morning so this makeshift version would have to do. A calm mind was the most effective after all.

Between the deep breathing exercises and listening to the sounds of his surrounding area the journey towards the airbase seemed to go by quick. Outlines of cargo crates, people, and obviously fighters came into view then became more detailed as the pair walked closer towards the main runways. Ezra began to quicken his pace while hunching over to avoid detection by the guard towers that stood ominously around the perimeter. Chopper needed no further instruction as the droid raced past Ezra and right towards one of the closest cargo containers.

Ezra ducked behind the same container right next to the droid then voiced more frustration with it, "you can't do that Chopper. Attracting the attention of the guards is the last thing we need, and a droid with non-Imperial paint is going to do just that. Let me scout for Stormtroopers then I'll give the go ahead, got it?" Reluctantly, the droid agreed with the assessment, but it was an agreement nonetheless.

Closing his eyes, Ezra reached out with the Force to sense his surroundings. He felt the small animals on the periphery of the base and the Stormtroopers on patrol just a couple hundred feet away from them. In his mind's eye he could make out the shapes of the container that made up a semi wall around the corner of the long metal platform that made up the runway. The one that he and Chopper hid behind now was a short distance away from another couple containers that formed a three tier pyramid that would allow him to have a good view of the base. If he could get up there undetected then there was no way he wouldn't be able to find the TIE defender.

"Alright Chop, I'm going to go move to that stack of containers" Ezra said pointing to their right. "From there I'll give you the signal to come over and I'll try to find the ship. After that it should be a piece of cake". For once, Chop seemed to agree to the plan he proposed. Feeling his ego rise just a notch Ezra made his way to the corner of his cover then took a quick glance to make sure that there were no troopers looking in his direction. With no chance of being spotted Ezra ran to the next set of containers then immediately climbed up to the next tier, then the next, ending up laying on his stomach about forty-five feet in the air. He motioned towards the droid who was waiting for his command and who rolled over to his position shortly after.

A vast amount of area could be seen from his view atop the pyramid of containers. A small squadron of six troopers were awaiting command from their officer in his usual gray Imperial garb while another small group of TIE pilots were talking over their breakfasts at some small table. The main command center of the base stood several hundred feet away from his current position and hopefully he was out of its main line-of-sight. He continued to scan the runway until he spotted the ship that Hera had brought up during their briefing that morning. No patrols were around its isolated position, but there were small metal boxes that could shield him from prying eyes so long as he crawled there. The only problem was that he would have to crawl from the last small pyramid which was going to be around ninety feet or so. In the grand scheme of things, it may not be that bad for him, but Chop on the other hand would have to stand pat for the time being.

As quietly as he could, Ezra slid down from the top tier of the pyramid of containers to the next tier all the way until his boots crunched against the dead grass on the ground. His mechanical companion rolled up to him then adjusted it optical camera towards Ezra. For the first time that he could recall Ezra realized that the droid was awaiting instructions as opposed to rushing in blindly to a situation.

"Okay, I saw the TIE defender, but it's a little ways off. The only way I can get there is to crawl on the ground over to its position. You've got to stay here until I get back with the flight recorder and anything else that I can find. Got it?" Of course the droid protested vehemently about his assignment, and was absolutely stubborn about being left in its place behind the action. "Look Chop, it's the only thing I can think of that has a pretty good chance of us escaping. If you roll up to the TIE behind boxes that are shorter than you then it would definitely raise some eyebrows and we'll both get caught. If you stay here then I may be able to sneak around since I can crawl at a short height". Chopper turned around in response with its mechanical arm crossing over its main body, but the point had been made.

"I'll be back quickly. Keep out of sight" he said then was at a crouched run to the end of his current cover. At every junction of containers he looked towards the base to see if someone was looking in his general direction, every time finding that the Imperials were too enthralled in their morning rituals to see him. He came to the point where the crates met the last large container and he dropped to his stomach with as much gentleness as he could. Taking a breath, he began to crawl towards the end of the end of the crates.

To his right he could hear bits of conversation that had no consequence to his situation. One group talked about their training scores from their respective academies while another spoke about the families they had on their home planets. _Family_ Ezra thought to himself feeling the familiar gut-punching sensation from earlier that day. No matter how much time had passed the pain of not having his mother and father was always crippling or close to it. Kanan, Hera, Zeb, and Sabine had been the best substitutes he could ask for, but nothing could fill the hole in his heart where his parents had been.

"Keep focused, Ezra. Worry about that later" he said to himself.

Just as he was about to reach the end of the crates Ezra's eyes grew wide as a blaster round dove into the dirt inches from hid outstretched hand. Had they spotted him? What had given him away? Ezra was so sure that he had kept out of sight of the troops. Making sure to make as little noise as possible, he reached for the lightsaber that hung on his hip. He was about to sense them with the Force when another shot hit the grass in nearly the same spot.

"Wasn't even close! These blasters couldn't hit a bantha if it was standing right in front of us. How are we supposed to hit any insurgents if we can't hit a simple rock within a few yards? I swear, it's like the Emperor wants us to fail using these things".

Ezra looked to his left and sure enough there was a decent sized rock the size of his fist. His face contorted in a look of skepticism. These troopers weren't anywhere close to the rock! They had to have been off by at least a foot or so. No wonder these idiots couldn't shoot the Specter crew when they were trying to escape from these guys. Two more shots rang out as the 'sharpshooters' attempted to hit the rock, missing both times.

Another stormtrooper's voice replied to the one who spoke before him, "sounds like you aren't wrong. It's either the rifle or the helmets since these cursed things don't allow us to see a thing. A rock may as well be an atom wearing these things".

This would be a while if these men kept trying to hit this rock, and as long as they were there he was going to have to wait for them to leave. Ezra folded his hands in front of him then laid his chin on top. His eyes watched every shot fired from the Imperial's rifles and pistols, each time trying to recognize their distinctive sounds. For the first time that morning he kept his mind on the task at hand rather than focus on anything personal.

Then the shots stopped suddenly. Boots ran across the metal surface of the runway with shouts coming from Imperial commanders. The situation had taken a complete 180 from the relaxed shooting just a moment ago. He could feel the adrenaline rush of the soldiers through the Force as they ran to their fighters to take off for their purpose. No sirens went off, which made Ezra wonder if this was just some drill that the men were supposed to go through today. He moved closer to the edge of the crate where the shots had been coming from then poked his head around to see the white armor of the Stormtroopers running off towards the North of the base. Looking to the left he saw the black suited pilots scrambling up their ladders to the cockpits of the regular ties and thankfully not the TIE defender.

"Maybe things are looking up now" he said to himself.

Ezra waited for the last of the squadrons and fighters to leave before he summersaulted behind the wing of the TIE defender. Once more he surveyed the area to find the area scarce of any noticeable Imperial presence. Despite that knowledge Ezra still made haste getting up the ladder, and dropping into the open hatch to the TIE's cockpit. A feeling of relief washed over once he was in the cushioned seat. His hands traced the buttons on the console looking over the different labels for them.

He felt overwhelmed almost at once as the numerous labels described things he couldn't understand. Ezra was lucky enough to find the engine's ignition and the yolk with which to control the ship at this point. The data recorder was nowhere to be seen as it was more than likely lost among the seemingly infinite number of buttons on the ships dashboard.

Ezra rose his wrist up then pressed the button that connected him to Chopper, "Chop come on over. I need your help trying to find the flight's data recorder. The Imps went off for some test or something so you should be all set to roll on over". The Jedi Padawan was awaiting some snide comment or remark from the droid, but it never came. As a matter of fact, no response came to Ezra. "Chop come on, don't make me ask again". Just like the time before, there was no response to his request.

"Guess I'll just have to do it myself" he said aloud. His blue eyes searched the panel as hid hands hovered over the different switches. Any switch would work hopefully. Ezra pressed one of the buttons to his right that resulted in the hatch sealing shut above him.

"Nope" he said quietly. He pressed a second one that caused the ship to stir. A loud whirr could be heard from the top and sides of the ship. Ezra leaned forward to look out the window and saw the TIE's canon's glowing. "Definitely not that one either. How many buttons could this thing have?"

His eyes danced across the interior of the ship until he saw a blinking red switch above his head. Reaching his left thumb up he flicked the switch earning him voices of an Imperial officer issuing commands. Ezra rolled his eyes and was just about to turn the radio off until he listened to the commands the guy was issuing.

" _I repeat, all forces are to be mobilized! The Rebel ship has been spotted North West of the base, it cannot reach the TIE Defender! Squads are to all have anti-air canons and TIEs are to shoot to destroy. If this is the_ Ghost _as we are to believe then whoever shoots destroys this menace will be receive the bounty that the Empire has placed upon the ship and her crew. Last heard it was over 50,000 credits. All TIEs and squadrons report it"._

Ezra's hands retreated from the button above his head. The pit in his stomach from this morning was nothing compared to what it felt like now. It felt as if he had an enormous weight placed on his stomach. As the voices of the pilots called in Ezra counted them aloud, and the weight became worse as they finally stopped at twenty TIE fighters. Shots could be heard over the intercom in the ship with each pilot hooting or hollering after they scored each hit. Even with Hera's incredible piloting skill the chances of them escaping this were very low.

"Not again. I won't let the Empire take this family too" he vowed. Ezra's hands found the ignition switch that he noticed when he first dropped into the ship. The TIE defender roared to life at once, and with a pull back on the control yolk the Jedi took the ship off of the runway and into the air. Flight recorder and stealth be damned, his family needed him.

The TIE Defender soared off into the skies of Lothal with such speeds that it left Ezra pinned to his seat. He tried his absolute best to fight the sickness in his stomach and the pressure on his skeleton while the ship turned on a time towards the direction the Imperial commander spoke over the intercom. He could see the faint white armor for only a split second as the Stormtroopers were a blur from his position in the cockpit. No doubt they were confused at seeing the experimental fighter, but they more than likely assumed a brave pilot decided to take it for overkill on the _Ghost_.

Fighting the forces of gravity, Ezra brought his wrist computer into view and pressed the button that should have linked him to the _Ghost_. "This is Specter Six to Ghost! Can you guys hear me?" There was no answer to his contact. He tried again, and again both times earning the same response. Between that and his problems reaching Chopper he could only assume that the Empire was jamming any outgoing transmissions from their frequencies. Didn't mean that he couldn't contact them however.

Trying to pilot a stolen ship and cycling through frequencies was not a very easy task. Ezra tried to keep his eyes focused on the terrain in front of him while his hand typed in the numbers that would bring him into contact with the _Ghost_. The device beeped in response to the last number being entered that confirmed he had done well. For the moment he waited on contacting his crew and chose to focus on tracking down the TIEs on his radar.

With the speed the Defender has it didn't take very long for the ship to catch up to the chase. The ground still looked like a swirl of browns and tan colors, but he could make out the details of the ships in front of him.

Ezra didn't know if he could have been more horrified at the situation. The _Ghost_ was trailing smoke from several different places on the hull. The shields must have been down as well since every bolt that hit it seemed to cause another hole which smoke poured out of. Hera was doing her very best to avoid the mass amounts of round fired at her, and while her efforts were valiant they were still failing. By the looks of things, she didn't have much left.

Feeling fear bubble in his stomach and in his mind Ezra steered quickly behind the closest TIE then laid on the firing buttons. Green streaks flew from the six canons on the Defender right into the wings of the Imperial ship forcing it to explode in an array of colors that would make Sabine jealous.

"Hera!" he yelled into the intercom, "Hera it's me, I'm in the Defender! When I tell you to you need to bank to the left. You may not be able to respond to me right now so just do as I say please". He readied himself at the controls and lined up several fighters in his scope.

"Now!" he yelled to his surrogate mother and to his relief she banked hard as the _Ghost_ would allow. Ezra's fingers cemented the trigger buttons as far down as they would go and rained down green fire upon the TIEs that were trailing his ship. One after another the TIEs flew into the bolts causing five explosions in rapid succession. Only fourteen more to go.


	3. Chapter 3

It seemed as though Ezra's firing upon other TIEs caught the attention of the other pilots as half of the fourteen other ships peeled off from their current course to come after him. Although his life was now in more danger than it had been in a long time Ezra took a relaxing breath. If the pilots were focusing on him then they wouldn't be able to focus their firepower on Hera. It didn't mean that she was completely safe either since she still had seven decently skilled pilots on her tail. He had to think, and fast if she was going to make it out alive.

The Force warned him whenever shot were coming close to the Defender thus allowing him to barrel roll to either direction. The ship shook slightly as one or two bolts hit one of the three wings, but was otherwise unharmed in the face of enemy fire. He was glad that the new ship was able to be so easily maneuvered, otherwise he would probably be dead due to his lack of skill and recklessness.

"I got it!" he yelled to himself while rolling to the left to avoid yet another barrage of green TIE fighter rounds. Ezra pushed the button on the intercom to contact the _Ghost_ , "Hera, I got a plan that you may not like, but it could save us both. You need to turn the _Ghost_ around and head straight towards me as if you're going to hit me head on. At the last minute go to your right then I'll take out the TIEs behind you and you can do the same for me".

Blue eyes looked out of the windshield in front to see the smoke billowing out of the _Ghost_. It wouldn't take very long for his home to go up in flames, he knew that much. Ezra hoped Hera trusted him enough to follow through with his plan. Much to his relief, he saw the gray cargo ship turn right into his path. Ezra slowed down the Defender to improve his handling of the craft then lined up the _Ghost_ in his cross hairs. His fingers shook as the two objects came closer and closer together. The bundle of nerves that had been with him the entire flight began to be more noticeable.

Ezra placed his thumbs back onto the triggers of the guns then reached deep into the Force to tell him when the time was right. He waited until he could almost see Hera's green form then pulled as hard as he could to the right while laying down on the triggers to the Defender's six canons. He could hear the deafening whine of the green bolts being released from the ship. With hopeful eyes Ezra watched every line of green plasma hit home, each of the seven targets on Hera's tail exploding in an awe-inspiring array of flames. A quick look down at the radar told him that the TIEs that had been in pursuit of their stolen craft were also destroyed. With the exception of the Stormtroopers on the ground the threat was over.

As the ship continued to slow down Ezra caught his breath and sunk into the cushioned chair. He rubbed his eyes with his palms while his heart rate began to slow down from its incredibly high pace. Air couldn't come fast enough to the lungs that had been starved during the pursuit of the attacking forces from the Empire. Moisture was deprived from his mouth resulting in the desperate need for water as well as rest from the morning's journey. He should've known better than to think that this mission would go as planned.

"E…a…hear…e?" a garbled voice came over his intercom in the ship.

Ezra took control of the ship after his brief respite then looked around for the _Ghost_. He leaned forward to check out the window to see the familiar silhouette directly in front of him, but a ways off. Plumes of smoke still oozed out of the ship signaling the need for Hera to land the ship or find repairs. Apparently, the TIEs were destroyed in the nick of time.

"Ezra?"

"Kanan?" he asked into the speaker, "why aren't you back at the base on recon?"

"Glad to hear from you, we must finally be outside of the jammer's range. We must have been spotted by their own recon team right after we dropped you and Chopper off. Before we knew what was happening there were TIEs swarming on us with relentless firepower. I'm just glad you were able to find us before it was too late. It would only take one or two more hits for us to be going down much like those fighters".

Ezra smirked as he realized he just saved the crew, "yeah you're pretty lucky that my plan seemed to work out perfectly. Sounds like you all owe me for saving your skin again. I'm glad this thing handles so easily, otherwise I wouldn't be able to bask in my glory".

"Can it kid" Zeb said in his usual gruff voice. Despite his stern tone Ezra could tell that his bunkmate was more than thankful for his appearance. "Don't get too cocky. It'll probably be us saving your behind in the next few days or so".

Zeb was probably right about that, not that he would let him know. The banter was more than a welcome sound though as it was much more bearable than the sound of turret fire or explosions. What a relief it was to be able to relax and trade the snide remarks with one another.

"Why don't you find a place to land so we can take you, Chop, and the data back to Yavin? I think I've had enough of this excitement for one day" Hera said with a calming breath mixed into that.

"Yeah I think I have too. I'd say we've earned the right to…" Ezra stopped as his radar beeped at him. Slightly confused, he looked down at the display to see a large object approaching them from the West. For now, the ship was far enough out of range that it wasn't visible, but that wouldn't be for very long. By estimation, it would only be a couple minutes before it would come into firing range. The punch in the gut feeling returned with vengeance as Ezra realized it was an Imperial Cruiser.

"Ezra, are you there?" Hera asked once she heard him stop mid-sentence.

"Today is turning out to be an awful day" he said more to himself than to his friends – although he was absolutely sure they heard it. Ezra lost some control of his hands as they shook once he realized the ramifications of what was going to happen. The _Ghost_ had absolutely no shields left to protect it from any incoming fire, and if TIE fire was enough to kill them then a cruiser would be overkill. A quick inspection of the ship told him that the ship may as well be limping – it was so damaged that he doubted it would be able to outrun the massive Imperial ship. They would need a serious distraction in order to get away.

"It is, so let's pick you and Chop up then get out of here alright?" Kanan said with a little impatience.

 **("Glory End Credits" – James Horner)**

"Chop isn't with me guys, I had to leave him at the base. You should go pick him up there then you need to get out of here" he told them as he prepared himself for what would probably be his final battle.

"We will get out of here as soon as you're with us. Now, let's go get Chop and leave" Kanan said again too impatient for Ezra's liking. Apparently, their radar either was damaged or wasn't working since they hadn't picked up on the cruiser that was heading in their immediate direction.

Fingers pressed the corresponding buttons for the Defender's shields, guns, and the engines as he made sure each one of them was performing as well as they could. Ezra took in a deep breath before taking another look at his radar, much to his horror the cruiser was closing in fast. It was now or never.

"I'll meet you there Kanan" he said as calmly as he possibly could. It was a lie, but he just hoped that his master wouldn't be able to sense it over the electronics.

"What aren't you telling us?"

It wasn't Kanan that responded this time, nor was it Hera or Zeb. Sabine was the one who responded in an angry tone. For someone without Force sensitivity she certainly did have some sort of sixth sense for when she wasn't being told the whole story. It surprised Ezra that she was the one to pick up on that since her mood swing from the soothing friend to ignoring him made him think that he had done something to upset her. Now, she was demanding to know what he was trying to keep to himself. Ezra didn't want to say a thing to them about what he had to do, he didn't want to upset his surrogate family at all. It didn't take a genius to figure out that his odds of survival were minimal at best, but they didn't have to know what was going to happen.

"Ezra!" she all but yelled at him.

"Ezra, what's wrong?" Hera said in a stern, but worried voice.

He took a moment to compose himself and released some of his anxiousness into the Force. When he spoke again his voice sounded confident, "nothing guys. I'll meet you there, I was just going to look around for some lingering Stormtroopers or fighters that's all".

"That's a half-truth Ezra, I can sense it" Kanan said.

"What is going _on_?" Sabine all but yelled at him. He flinched at their reactions and how determined they were to get the truth from him. Even from here he could feel their anxieties and worry, which only made him feel worse. They are the best people he's ever known, they're his family. A family he had to protect at all costs, even if that meant laying down his life.

"A cruiser appeared on my radar a minute ago, and it's heading right in our direction. I'll be right behind you guys, but you need to go" he said calm.

He knew they would pick up on what he meant. They weren't dumb by any means, so it really shouldn't take them long to figure out what he was going to do for them. Ezra braced himself for the flood of emotions that would come when they spoke again, knowing that it was going to be hard to tell them goodbye. At least this time he had one unlike his parents whom he may be seeing sooner than he thought. Emptiness filled his body, making him feel hollow. Turning to the direction of the cruiser Ezra sat in wait for his battle.

"Karabast" came Zeb's quiet voice over the com. Everyone else was silent as they swallowed the information he had given them. It was something that no one wanted to hear…to know that someone you loved was going to die.

"Land the ship and we'll come to pick you up" Kanan said with his usual determination. His voice left no room to argue or at least tried to sound like it. Ezra closed his eyes as he knew this was one argument Kanan wasn't going to win.

"The ship may not even lift off again Kanan. The _Ghost_ is slowing down as we speak. If you even turnaround from your current course then it's highly likely that the cruiser will be here when you finally get to me. I'll be right behind you guys anyway, just go pick up Chopper and I'll be right there".

"Let me out" Sabine's voice came onto the intercom, but it sounded more like a whisper. He could hear metal being moved around as she tried to collect her things. It sounded like she was trying to make haste in order to beat the ship.

An exchange of words was made until Hera's voice could be heard yelling, "sit down Sabine!" Ezra had never heard her yell like that – it scared him actually. The strain on her voice was palpable as was the fact that she knew that she had to be logical. Ezra was counting on the fact that she would be rational in this situation. She knew that the life of five highly valuable Rebellion members wasn't worth one, Jedi or not.

"Let me off! I should be with him anyway, but you kept me on recon!" Sabine yelled again. It sounded like there was a small struggle going on and Sabine's yelling could be heard. He was worried about what was going on until her voice was finally comprehendible, "let me go Zeb, I can help! I should be with him too! We aren't leave…leaving him behind!"

Tears could be felt behind Ezra's closed eyes. Sabine was trying to get to him now that his fate had been revealed. It made sense now; the reason that she hadn't spoken to him this morning was because she was angry about not being assigned with him on the mission. She wanted to be with him even now when his life was close to forfeit. It meant the world to him to hear that, but it wasn't going to help anyone.

"Sabine, stop. That won't help anyone" he said. The outline of the cruiser could be seen on the horizon. It wouldn't be long now until shots would be fired, and the crew needed to leave. Now. "You guys need to go now, I'm going to hold this thing off as long as possible. I'll see you guys soon alright?"

"Don't you dare close this frequency Ezra Bridger! Don't you dare!" Sabine was yelling now, and crying - he had never heard her cry before. He hated the sound more than anything. "You're coming back with us, we'll leave together".

"Ezra, you have to come back. The Rebellion needs you more than you know. We'll fight this cruiser off together" Kanan's voice was empty, he knew that his pleas were not going to be answered in a favorable response.

"Listen to us kid, just come back. You've already saved our lives today, you don't need to do it again" Zeb added hoping that both of them would be enough.

Crying was a natural, human response to emotional moments. Ezra was trying hard to be strong in the moment, but listening to them was making it harder on him. This was something he had to do alone. He had promised himself that morning that as long as he was breathing the Empire wouldn't hurt them like they had his parents. He was not about to break that promise.

"Hera" he said with a shaky voice, "go get Chopper then get out of here. I'm going to hold them off as long as I can. You need to get into the atmosphere then punch it the moment you get there. I know you see the reasoning behind this, so you have to listen to me. Five lives is not worth one".

Ezra could hear the protests of the other three on board, all asking Hera the same thing. He only focused on her though, honing in on her thought process as she weighed the consequences of each action. As a General she had a duty to the Rebellion and to her crew, saving the lives of five while risking one was a tough pill to swallow, but the right choice to make.

"Hera, please" he added one more time.

"Thank you, Ezra" she said, but he could tell that she was on the verge of crying too. "We'll see you soon alright? I'm expecting to see you at the next briefing Commander Bridger. I – I don't want to have to strip you of your rank again".

"Thank you, Hera". The cruiser was as close as it was going to get before it could open fire on the Defender. It was time for goodbyes. Ezra pointed both levers forward to bring the experimental TIE Defender closer to his target at increasing speed. "After I lost my parents I had lost hope for a while. I didn't know what was next for me or what I had to do in life. You all gave me hope and the caring that is needed for a kid to grow up as best he can in today's Galaxy. I'll cut it short and just say that I love you all.

And Sabine, at the end of my dream it was you. I'm sorry that I was so annoying when I first met you, but I'm forever grateful to have a Mandalorian friend like you. For the record, I'm thankful to everything that you weren't with me today. I need all the glory in these two battles that way I can walk into Yavin like the hero I am".

No response came back to him other than silence. Ezra wiped one of the tears that came down his cheek. He took a deep breath to calm himself one more time as the first few green bolts began to come near the Defender.

"Ezra, please don't –" Sabine tried to say, but was cut off by Ezra.

"I'll see you all soon. Be safe".

"Ezra, no!" she tried again, but before she could say anything he cut off the transmission. For the first time since he had left this planet with the _Ghost_ crew he was alone. Now it was time to buy their safety at the cost of this ship and more than likely his life. Pressing forward on the steering yoke for the ship he few at borderline breakneck speeds in the direction of the fully visible Imperial cruiser.

A rain of green fire rained down upon the ship before he even got within firing range. The Defender shook as each bolt made contact with the wings, but doing little damage to the ship's shields. Yanking left in the yoke Ezra left the lane of fire from the cruiser only to cut back to the right and laid his own fire upon the deck of the ship. Little damage was done, hopefully though the attention of the ship's commander would be focused on him rather than the _Ghost._

Circling back around, Ezra laid more fire upon the bridge of the ship while doing his best to avoid the fire coming from the four turrets on the ship's deck. The speeds at which he was going pinned him to his seat. His body wasn't used to his type of force being placed on it thus making it hard not to black out or crash into the cruiser itself. Hills beneath him looked like blurs on a…painting as the sky was another large blue blur.

Once again, he turned around at slower speeds to make another pass at the Imperial behemoth behind him. Ezra grit his teeth as the Defender made the 180 degree turn that pressed him into the seat. He could see the guns turning to greet him and felt a warning in the Force as the turrets covered the air around him with green bolts. The Defender jerked with every turn of the control yokes, yet the ship still shook with every contact the green plasma made with the ship. No matter what turn he took there was still no way he would avoid every shot taken at him.

The ship began to beep incessantly drawing Ezra's attention away from the view outside of the cockpit. The shields were down to below fifty percent, another two runs like the one he had just taken were sure to cause the Defender to explode. Was there enough time for his friends to escape? He didn't know how much longer he had until the inevitable came. There were only two passes left at max so it seemed that the only thing left to do was take that last shot then pray that the Force would save them all from sharing his fate.

If this was it then he had to make it count. Turning the yokes Ezra took aim at the cruiser once more, ready to make this pass count. Once more, the guns of the cruiser took aim at the smoking TIE Defender. Ezra didn't bother trying to move out of the way as he had accepted his fate this time. He couldn't sense the presences of any member of the _Ghost_ crew and that meant that it was up to them now to stay safe. They were still close enough to be found, but once the Defender was no more the Empire would spend some resources to investigate, that could only be helpful to them. At least now the day had something good about it.

Pressing his thumbs down on the triggers one last time Ezra tried to cause as much damage as he possibly could. As expected, green plasma hit the Defender at every possible angle. He watched the shield strength plummet as the endless barrage from the cruiser destroyed the rest of the ship's structural integrity. Signs flashed across every screen within the Defender, all letting Ezra know that this was going to be his last pass. As the Defender cleared the cruiser's deck it was pummeled by fire until the engines had caused a mini explosion that rocked the experimental craft.

After what seemed like an endless coating of bolts the Defender stopped shaking, but the damage was irreversible. Ezra let go of the controls as they would do him no good at this point. The ground came closer to him at an accelerating pace from which there was no stop. There was nothing to see or look at so the seventeen-year-old closed his eyes one last time.

He thought about how thankful he was for meeting the people he has, and hoped that his sacrifice would make a difference. A smile crept upon his lips when he thought about his friends, each of them making such an impact on his life in the few short years he had known them. Hera as the surrogate mother, Kanan the teacher and father, Zeb the uncle, Chopper as the pet-like figure, and Sabine who was the friend who always had his back. If he was stuck with one he thought that she would be the one he would have missed most – it may have been why he had dreamed of her last night.

For his final thoughts, Ezra pictured his mother and father waiting for him when he woke up next. They would greet him with warm smiles and open arms that called to him. Leaving behind the _Ghost_ crew was painful, but meeting his parents again was something he couldn't wait to do. He just hoped he was half the person they were. Maybe someday, when he met the Specters again, he could introduce them all. Then he would be complete.

And when the Defender hit the ground Ezra Bridger was at peace.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi guys! I'm really enjoying the feedback I've been getting so far from you all. It's going to be a pretty emotional story throughout, but most of the hard stuff is at the beginning. It will be starting to get AU in the next two chapters or so. Nothing too excessive (like Force powers that make someone a God for example) just characters who would normally not be involved in Rebels, that sort of thing. Plus, changes to some pretty key things that will just make a better story to me. Thank you again for reading, and I hope it offers another chance to escape any stressed of life for a little while.**

"Get your hands off of me, let me go!" Sabine yelled to Zeb who had his coarse, purple arms wrapped around her waist. Try as she had there was no chances of him letting her go. As he picked up into the air she kicked at the chair in front of her, elbowed her friend in the stomach, then tried to headbutt him in the nose. Each move only restricted her movement further as Zeb tightened his hold on the wild young woman.

"Sabine, knock it off!" Hera whirled around with a look that would stun any lesser person. The look in her eyes was one of seriousness, but also one of hurt. Sabine could see the inner conflict within the General, but that changed nothing. Hera had made the final decision to leave Ezra behind to die more than likely. She didn't get to feel this way as it was her own fault for it happening. Rather than acquiescing the young Mandalorian glared right back at her.

Continuing her stare-down with the twi'lek pilot Sabine found the angry tone that she had used so many times before, "you left him there. You left him to die Hera! We could go back from him right now to save him, he would do it for us".

"And what if that doesn't work Sabine?" Hera said as she turned back around to check the readings of the _Ghost_. The younger woman watched as the green fingers of her commanding officer bounced from button to button. Hera's voice became quiet, but was loud enough for all to hear due to the absolute silence in the cockpit, "Ezra wanted to save our lives even if it took his own. I want to go back to get him, all the Gods or the Force in the Galaxy knows I want nothing more than to find him and bring him back aboard and safe in his bed.

But my job as a General in the Rebellion forces me to make these choices. I don't enjoy or want them, but I have to make them. Ezra was right, and it's a tough truth to swallow, but it would make no sense to save one person at the lives of five others – especially when he may…be gone".

"I guess I know where you stand then when it comes to us. We were supposed to be a family, Hera" Sabine said with a shaking voice, barely containing her body's need to cry. "Before the Rebellion there was the six of us working together to fight an up-hill battle against the Empire. Now the table is turned, and I can see that the cause is more important than we are. No matter the cost as long as we win, right? How long until it's me, Kanan, or Zeb?"

"That is enough!" Hera said standing up from the chair. The woman's bottom lip was quivering as she stared right into the soul of the twenty-year-old Sabine. Hera's right index finger was extended in the direction of the suspended Mandalorian in a reprimanding manner. The two stared at each other for a long moment, each analyzing the other until the General spoke again, "I did what he wanted me to do, and what I had to do".

Her voice was low and very annunciated as every word became crystal clear and audible to the group, "I hate myself for picking that choice, but I did. Do you know why? It's because if we turned around we were going to lose a lot more than just Ezra today. All of us could die today, and that's not something I want on my conscience any more than you do. The decision was mine to take. There's no way I can forgive myself for putting him in that position. However, I will not feel sorry for you because you didn't get to die with him. You have much to live for Sabine and as long as I have a say you will get to live that life".

Sabine watched with anger as Hera sat down at the controls, no doubt tracking Chopper's location. Odds were that they would have to land somewhere safe before they went to go find the metal menace since the _Ghost_ wasn't going to get off of the ground once it was set down. Then the crew was no doubt going to leave this place as fast as possible, maybe never return again. That wasn't acceptable in the slightest. Lothal had something that belonged to them, and if they didn't want it then it would be hers. If she had to fight the rest of the crew to do it then she would, no matter what Sabine was going to get Ezra back.

The fire burned in her stomach as she thought about what the Imperials would do with him. Would they dare torture him if he lived or would they desecrate the body then hang him up by the ankles in Capital City. She wasn't going to allow them to scar his memory or his image like that. Ezra needed to be buried away from the people who had killed him and his parents. Rescuing him would be their last mission. After that, Sabine had no idea what she would do.

"Let me down Zeb" she said in an equally controlled but angry voice. She could feel the gradual release of pressure as he began to finally relent. He had been uncharacteristically silent through the whole ordeal making her think that he was feeling something. Zeb was more sensitive than he would ever let someone believe, however he was still able to feel emotions just like everyone else. When her feet touched the floor of the _Ghost_ she heard the soft thud of Zeb's footsteps leaving the room. The sound echoed throughout the hallways until it reached his room which opened then closed.

Numb legs held her upright as the ship flew to some unknown destination. Her body swayed slightly in every direction as she made up the plan in her mind that would bring Ezra back to them. The jetpack was going to come in handy since the _Ghost_ and the _Phantom II_ were both out of the question. She would need to hurry to avoid any Imperial presence, no doubt they would be scouring the crash site in the hopes of finding a surviving pilot. They weren't going to take Ezra, not again.

She was just about to turn away when sounds began to play through the intercom at the top of the pilot's seat. Both her and Kanan's head perked up at the sound of the static. Before she even had time to hope that it was Ezra calling through to them to ask for a rescue Sabine recognized the voice who was speaking to all who were listening. It sounded more like a broadcast than a call to only Stormtroopers, but either way she listened to Governor Price as she spoke.

 **('Even the Trees Hate Us' – Hans Zimmer)**

"Citizens of the Lothal system, tonight I address you with great pride and pleasure. The news that I bring you has been long coming, but it wasn't until this afternoon that I've been able to announce it. Take a moment from your day to relax and enjoy in the glory that the Empire has brought you today.

It was brought to my attention that early this morning a terrorist raid has taken place against one of our air bases out in the plains of Lothal. The attack has caused the death of many Imperial men as well as millions of credits worth of damage upon Imperial property. It was only afterwards that we deduced that the so called 'Phoenix Squadron' took part in the attack.

However, despite the losses suffered today we have recovered one of these terrorists who had stolen an Imperial ship. The body of Ezra Bridger was recovered at the crash site from the destroyed stolen fighter. We have taken the remains of this traitor to an unmarked grave on the planet where he will forever be forgotten.

No longer can these Rebels claim that they are untouchable or invincible. Justice will be brought to these criminals as shown by the heroic action of our Stormtroopers here on Lothal. Wherever you are, you can be assured that if you aid or participate in Rebel attacks then you will be brought to justice dead or alive".

Ezra…buried in an unmarked grave…the thought made Sabine equally sick and incensed. Her legs began to feel weightless as the revelations of what happened to their friend had been understood. There would be no funeral, no grave for her to visit. He would have no peace in the afterlife just like he didn't in life. The body of Ezra was hidden away from her and probably desecrated by fowl actions of the Empire.

Part of her had been holding hope for him to return to them. It hadn't been assured even though the odds of Ezra coming back were very slim. Deep inside the hopeful part of her mind Sabine had been hoping that a beat up, cut up version of her friend would be there waiting for them when they landed to pick up Chopper. He would have that smug smirk on his face that made her smile right back at him even though she would never indulge his ego. After that she wasn't sure what she would have done, she wasn't used to displays of affection.

The pair had been growing close ever since he was the young, cocky boy who had joined their crew at Kanan's insistence. Ezra and her and been paired together almost from the outset of their missions. She had seen him grow up into a mature, and dare she say it, a handsome man. He was protective of her, of them all, and it showed in his last act. The way he would bring joy to them all in the smallest ways or mannerisms made hanging out with him – even if it was simply for a few minutes at breakfast or dinner – a highlight of the day she could count on. The playful banter, the pranks, the tricks, and occasionally personal conversations between them had pushed them closer together than they probably ever realized.

That was when it really began to hit her. Ezra Bridger was dead. And the Empire had to pay in blood.

Feeling came back to her legs and with a purpose she left the cockpit in a beeline for her room. She passed the dejarik table, the kitchen, and the benches without a second glance, not bothering to hide the painful memories that came to mind. Ghostly memories of them laughing or talking in those rooms played like a movie on her eyes. That morning's talk about Ezra's bad morning came back due to its freshness on her brain. Both memories caused her pain that she wouldn't show, not now.

Her bedroom door flew open for her to allow her access to her arsenal of arms. Her brown eyes found her jetpack at once which she tossed on at once. Next, Sabine went to the small crate that sat near the end of her bed and tore the cover off to reveal the item she had been looking for – black, blue, and purple paint.

The young Mandalorian took off the armor that had been attached to her black jumpsuit. With sad eyes she looked at the purples, oranges, and dashes of red that decorated each peace. The armor may as well have been part of her own flesh it was so much a part of her. Since that was true then it was time to remove such lively colors that didn't suit her anymore. These colors had to go just like part of her was dying with every second. No longer hesitating, Sabine painted the armor a mixture of midnight black, navy blue, and a deep purple. She picked up the helmet that sat on the bed before casting it aside – she wanted the Empire to know the face of revenge.

If she waited any longer to leave then the emotions were going to catch up with her. The longer Sabine kept focus the longer she could put off dealing with them and the better she would do with her personal vendetta. Holstering her pistols, she walked out the door with a calm aura about he even though she was anything but.

By will of the Force or by coincidence alone, Sabine felt the _Ghost_ touch down against the grassy plains while she began to walk down the hallway. Keeping her aura the same she began to walk slowly towards the cargo hold that had opened up to allow Chopper to come inside. Every time she closed the distance between her and the outside world Sabine's anger rose alongside her thirst for vengeance. Nobody in the Galaxy was going to stop her from getting it either, they may die if they attempt to do so.

Brown grass came into her line of sight once she reached the small ledge that over looked the cargo hold. Clinging to the cold metal of the ladder Sabine stepped down every rung until her boots touched the metal surface with a 'klang'. Just as she was about to step foot she heard someone walk up to the balcony she had just been on.

"They're North of here, maybe a few clicks or so. With your jetpack it shouldn't take more than a minute or two to reach them. Numbers are five maybe six".

"I'll be back" she said to Zeb. How he knew what her intentions were, she wasn't sure. Perhaps he wanted the same thing as she did, maybe Zeb had the same idea of putting off the emotions for just a little while longer. He would wait though, because these five to six men were hers alone. The moment Sabine was in the open fields she ignited the jetpack then took off.

Chilly wind touched her exposed cheeks making her feel exposed. Taking off the helmet before battle was something she hadn't done before, it wasn't the Mandalorian way. No helmet was like having no armor as it would signify her lack of readiness for an upcoming battle; how wrong that assumption was. If there was ever a battle that Sabine was ready for then this was it.

Sunlight poked through the clouds to highlight some of the areas below her. Mountains created shadows where lothcats played in while birds flew in the sunlight to reach their new homes for the upcoming winter. Animal noises mixed in with the wind to form a rather relaxing set of sounds that took her mind away from the troubles of her heart. Every bird and every cat seemed to frolic underneath the midday sun completely unaware of the death that had come to one of their own. One day she had hoped that when this war ended that all could live as care free as the animals blow; today however had shown her that life had other plans.

A glint of white off to her ten o'clock took her attention away from the distracting thoughts. There below her were five Stormtroopers disassembling some sort of radar station that had been tracking either the _Ghost_ or the TIE Defender. Like a predator who smelled blood Sabine narrowed her eyes and quickly lowered herself down to the dead grass approximately two hundred feet away.

The group had been so into their conversation that they never noticed her land or approach them. Their station had been set up completely in the open with no hills or mountains to hide behind thus leaving them completely exposed. Sabine never bothered ducking onto the ground or attempting to use stealth when approaching. Instead, she began to walk towards them the moment she landed. It wasn't until she was fifty or so feet away that one of the men who had just collapsed the radar dish noticed her then raised his weapon.

"Freeze!" he shouted grabbing the other four's attention as well.

The man never had the chance to fire his rifle as Sabine raised one pistol aimed right for his stomach then fired twice. She didn't aim for the face or neck as that would be too quick of a death. By aiming for the stomach the shots would have allowed stomach acid to pour out from his digestive system into other parts of the body. It was going to be slow and it was going to hurt. The Stormtrooper was already crumpling to the grass with his hands grabbing towards his wounds.

Sabine dove to her left to avoid the blaster fire that was sure to come to the spot where she had been standing. Next she fired shots at three of the Stormtroopers, one was hit in the knees, another in the neck, while the last was hit in the spinal cord. The first would never walk again, the second would suffocate, and the last would be paralyzed for however long they lived in the exposed elements.

The fifth and final man in white armor had just seen four of his comrades taken down in a matter of moments by one single young woman. Sabine could see him wondering if he should fight or run, and he tried the latter. The Stormtrooper dropped his rifle then did his best to run away fast as he humanly could. Unfortunately for him, it wasn't going to work.

Sabine tried to fire her blasters at his knees, but the clips were empty. Tossing them aside she ran after the man. Her feet crunched the dead grass that stood beneath her feet, but other than that there was mostly silence. She was chasing her prey that would help sooth her hunger for Imperial death. He was somewhat quick, but he wasn't going to outrun her – she had motive on her side.

"Please!" he begged as he tried to run away. "Please let me go! I don't want to do this anymore. I want to go home!"

"Lies!" she yelled back at him. There was no truth behind any of those words. Would he have let Ezra go if he found her friend or would he have buried the body just like Price? These weren't true of honest words, they were the last pleas of a dying coward. Sabine caught up to him then leapt at the soldier to bring him violently to the ground with her.

Most of her life she had seen beauty in everything. She enjoyed the colors that decorated

everyday life, and took pride in being able to see everything. This time however, she only saw red.

With vengeful hands Sabine rolled the scared Stormtrooper over then knelt on his stomach. His hands came up to protect his face, but she quickly took them both then broke over her leg. The Stormtrooper begged once more then began to cry out in pain. She ripped off the helmet and looked into the eyes of a middle-aged man who had fear written in his eyes. His head turned as if it would shield him from death.

Sabine's left fist connected with his cheekbone. The crunch was audible enough to make her shudder at the sound then everything was silent. Her right fist made contact with his jaw, breaking that as well. She could feel her eyes begin to water as her vision began to blur, but she could feel her fists firing away at the perpetrator. The emotions she had been trying to put off had caught up to her at last. Sabine could feel an immense pain deep in her chest now, that could only be described as an emptiness. Her stomach felt compressed as if an incredible weight was placed upon it. Her head swam as Ezra's death became fact now, not just an understanding. He wasn't coming back to her or the crew, nor was he going to be there to help them in further missions. It had been so hard to realize at first, but now she finally got it. No shy smiles, no shrugs, no more bad mornings, no more dreams they would analyze together, no more painting, no more shy contact, no more growing together, and no more banter. Her best friend was dead.

Sabine closed her eyes as tight as she could, but the tears were coming faster than she could stop. Her hearing began to return to her and she could still hear her hands connecting with the Stormtrooper. Watery brown eyes looked down to the face of the Stormtrooper she had beaten to death. He was covered in blood just like the hands that were clenching in fists. The sticky red substance coated her hands, cheeks, and her armor.

Sabine tried to walk away from what she had done, but collapsed when her legs turned to Jell-O. He wanted to go home. It was a simple yet heartbreaking request, and one she couldn't quite do herself. There was no longer a home for her to go to as there would always be part of it missing.

Bloody clenched hands were brought up to her forehead and from her knees Sabine let the plains of Lothal hear a scream that left no room to misunderstand; her heart had shattered.


	5. Chapter 5

Snaps, hisses, and cracks were the first thing to come to his ears. Hearing was also the only sense that Ezra Bridger had at this moment. None of his environment around him registered in his mind as he couldn't feel anything. If this was what the afterlife was going to be like then he had a feeling that it was rather underwhelming. Maybe this was just the first step towards something greater, and that's what he was hoping for. Otherwise, it sounded like he was just listening to close by fires, which would no doubt become very annoying.

Ezra attempted to move his hands only to find that they wouldn't budge. His feet were cemented where they were with little response. His eyes soon felt like they were moving, yet all he could see was darkness. No imagery came to his vision leaving him completely blind in an unknown afterlife.

Thuds from far away became louder as the moments, seconds, or minutes passed by. The louder the thuds became the more they entangled with sounds of other material in motion. Ezra didn't bother guessing what it was he heard as there was a pretty good chance he would find out in time. Trying to relax, he let his body sink back onto the hardened surface that he was laying upon. Waiting for the moment for the sounds to reveal their form Ezra began to hope that it was his parents coming to bring him to their home in this new world.

After an undiscernible amount of time a seal was broken and rushing air could be heard. Voices came from above bringing a smile to the face of the young rebel. The time had come for him to be reunited with his parents. If he could move his arms then Ezra would welcome his mother and father gladly. Something was moving above then the cloak of darkness was removed and replaced by blinding light. He whimpered as the pain from the sudden change caused pain to his eyes. Something removed the weight from his arms as well as his legs bringing feeling back within them.

Pressure on his underarms was the first sign that he was being lifted upwards towards eternal bliss. Ezra tried to open his eyes gently hoping that he would see the face of any heavenly figure. The first thing he could make out was a pure white silhouette with a lack of features. Two more white figures appeared in his vision seeming to help the first one lift him upwards. He had heard about angels before as a boy on Lothal. They brought with them an inner sense of peace that would wash over their desired target before they would take them to an afterlife beyond one's wildest desires. Relishing the moment Ezra felt himself smile until the pressure from under his arms faded away, replaced by a feeling of falling.

His limp body tried to fold in on itself as it freefell onto something hard. Ezra heard his body land with a terrifying noise accompanied by an awful feeling. It felt like his muscles twisted then were pulled as he hit the surface. His left leg never touched ground as it seemed to be suspended in the air by something that added to the already mounting pain. Where his waist was there was a sense of burning, like a rope being pulled across his waistline over and over again. His mouth bit his tongue topping off his hurt with a pinching sense along with the wet metallic taste of blood.

If this was the afterlife, then it wasn't up to expectations so far.

As he lay there Ezra heard his first voice, "contact Governor Price, let her know that we have the member of Phoenix squadron who took the Defender".

This wasn't the afterlife he soon realized. This was real life and he had just been captured by Stormtroopers. Ezra couldn't tell if he was blessed to have survived or he was cursed due to his falling into Imperial hands. Disappointment came as it took him no time to figure out that the meeting with his parents was going to have to be postponed until his time came. Knowing that he was going to see Price he had to think that it would be pretty soon anyways.

Ezra opened his eyes again and found that the action came easier than the last time he did. More detail was given to him, but he didn't like what he saw in front of him. Three scout troopers stood over him with one Stormtrooper with an orange sash over his left shoulder speaking into a communicator. The sun hung high in the sky telling him that it was around midday, mountains were towering over the location where he had crashed making it impossible to outside of the blocked off area.

His blue eyes finally trailed down to his left leg that had been impaled at the calf by a piece of the control yoke. It was about six inches in length, soaked in his blood, and keeping his leg suspended in the air while it had dig into the grass and dirt. Ezra tried to reach for it only to feel a spike of pain in his right forearm where several pieces of glass had torn through his suit then stuck into his flesh. The glass must have torn muscles and tendons as he wasn't able to flex his fingers correctly. There had to be injuries that he couldn't see, he wasn't sure he wanted to anyway.

"Ezra Bridger" the commander said in an authoritative tone, "my orders are to bring you to Governor Price. According to her address that will be announced to the system in only a moment you're already dead. There will be no trial for you - not that there would need to be one anyway. A mass murderer like yourself would be found guilty in any court in this Galaxy. You and your Phoenix Squadron are responsible for countless deaths including my best friend, my little brother".

The Stormtrooper commander closed in on the helpless teenager, handing his rifle to one of the Scout troopers on his left. Menacing would be too kind of a word for the demeanor in which the man stalked over to Ezra. He stopped walking when he was within arm's length of the teenager's limp and helpless form. Grass crunched beneath his weight as the commander knelt to get a better look at his face. Apparently satisfied with what he saw, the Imperial stood to full height then delivered a devastating kick to Ezra's ribs.

The Jedi tried to curl inwards to protect his sensitive midsection, but was greeted with further pain in his back and neck. He groaned in pain as his ribs cracked once again under another forceful boot to the stomach. He tried to protect his sensitive section with his hands, but it was in vain as it did nothing to stop another kick.

Ezra coughed forcefully as the onslaught finally slowed down. To his horror blood came up with the air that was being forced out of his lungs. The sticky red liquid fell upon his neck, eyes, and cheeks. He tried to bring his left hand to his eyes to wipe off the bodily fluid only to find that it was unresponsive. Panic began to set in as the hopelessness of the situation set in. If this was what came with being alive then Ezra started to wish he had been killed in the crash.

The commander bent down, grabbing Ezra's torn and bloody shirt. Strong arms lifted him into the masked face that he had seen before, but had never feared until that exact moment. "Do you know what it's like to hold your baby brother while he's dying Bridger? I held him in my arms while he took his last few breaths then faded away because of your shot. You killed him. He was just a boy!" Another punch landed against his cheek, caving it in beneath the pressure of the blow. Ezra felt his cheekbone give way as it had more than likely been broken in several places. The shock in addition to the pain of his body caused him to start to cry.

"He never wanted to be a Stormtrooper, he just wanted the money to buy his fiancé a ring. Then you took that from him while he was on patrol one night. I barely had time to catch his falling body. His entire life was filled of people like you bullying him, torturing him until he came home. You think you people are so righteous in your pursuit of what's 'right' that you never stop to think of the repercussions to us".

The commander removed his mask to reveal a tan skinned face with a bright pink scar across his lip. He had very little hair and his hazel eyes bore into Ezra. The hatred could be felt in that stare as well as his voice, "if only you _knew_ that pain Bridger. I was hoping to catch your Jedi tutor, the pilot, or your Mandalorian along with you. The Jedi would be killed in front of your eyes while the two women would have been passed around my men and I like the flu. You would have watched that had they been here. You would have heard their screams, their cries. Then maybe you would know my pain Ezra Bridger. Maybe then you would – ".

The commander was cut off from filling Ezra's head with nightmarish imagery. An odd expression came over him as he brought his hands up to his chest as if to remove the glowing blue blade of plasma. His eyes began to grow wide, and Ezra could see the understanding of what was going to happen in his face. The commander knew he was going to die. With one last glance at Ezra his eyes rolled back in his head as he crumpled on top of the downed Jedi apprentice.

"Scatter!" one scout called out to his peers. "Defend the perimeter, nothing gets to the kid!"

Ezra watched them fan out among the smoldering pieces of TIE Defender wreckage then kneel in battle ready positions. Their heads were on swivels looking for any possible intruders who had just impaled their leader. No one had seen where the lightsaber had retreated to, but they knew that it went to someone out there in the daylight. Whoever it was must be a lot more stealthy than Phoenix Squadron was since there was absolutely nothing to hide behind, at least that Ezra could see.

"Who has a visual?" the same scout called out.

"Nothing, I've got nothing!" the one to Ezra's left replied.

 _Thunk!_ Both of the scouts and Ezra looked towards the trooper who didn't respond. He laid against one of the fractured TIE Defender wings, propped up with his head laying lazily off to the side. An intend was made on the metal of the wing where he had been forced into it.

"It's the rest of the kid's squad! Prepare yourself!"

It couldn't be Kanan who was doing this. Ezra's master preferred a straight on fight rather than sneaking around. Plus, if it _was_ the rest of his 'family' then there would be plenty of blaster fire. Right now, it was just a lightsaber throw and what he assumed to be a Force push. If he was a betting man he would say that this was someone new entirely.

"There, to the East!" a scout proclaimed. Ezra followed his pointing finger to see two hooded figures - one in black the other in brown - walking towards his direction. They looked to be about his height with their arms folded across their chests inside of the sleeves of their respective robes. The pair oozed calm which was shown by their slow, confident walk from wherever it was they came from. Ezra couldn't see their faces, but it did look like they were wearing some type of masks.

"Open fire!"

Green bolts raced towards the robed duo aimed straight for their chests. With the same grace as their walk the pair pulled out _lightsabers_. The one in brown deflected his bolt with a green blade while the one in black deflected its with the same blue blade that impaled the commander who had beaten Ezra. Each bolt was sent right back into the scout who fired them dropping them to the ground. Their bodies felt limp while smoke trickled from the holes in their chests that killed them.

Ezra watched their bodies lie there smoldering just like he should have been. Just like his family should have been. Death was all around him, taunting him at every turn. Even now it lay right on top of him in the form of the impaled commander. It became too much for the teenager to deal with so he began to squirm in effort to move the dead body. His blue eyes couldn't help but stare at the rolled-back eyes who were looking at him with complete contempt not so long ago.

"Get it off!" he yelled to no one in particular. He shut his eyes in vain as he tried to forget the images of the dead men and the possible rape of his friends. "Get him off!"

"Easy there Ezra Bridger" the brown figure soothed as it approached him from nowhere. The figure came to his side, placing a hand on his forehead. Ezra began to calm as the hand seemed to bring peaceful thoughts with its touch. His yelling subsided further when the corpse was placed off to the side of him and away from his restricted line-of-sight.

"There, relax. We won't bring you any harm young one. We're friends who've come to rescue you" the figure said once more. Ezra tried to speak, but found that his throat felt dry and course.

"Don't try to speak" the figure in black said to him. The voice sounded feminine, yet he couldn't be so sure. The figure's face was covered by the hood of the cloak as well as a grey-gold mask that had slits for the eyes and mouth. "You most likely have inhaled smoke from the wreckage, speaking will only bring you more pain".

"His injuries are extensive Heiress. Moving him back to the 'Angel' will be incredibly difficult. One of us may have to stay here with him, the other should go get the ship" the one in brown said.

"Go. I'll stay with Ezra" 'Heiress' replied. "Don't be long. The Pilot, doesn't like to be kept waiting as I'm sure you know".

"Don't I know it" the brown cloaked one replied. "I'll be back soon". Then he disappeared without much fanfare. Ezra tracked him as far as he could until the brown cloak blended in with the dead grass of the Lothal plains.

Drawing his eyes back to the figure in black he studied the mask it wore. Gold detailing decorated the edges near the eyes as well as the mouth. Swirls started near the shin area until they formed into wings where the temple would be. Overall it was a rather pretty sight compared to the gruesome ones he had seen that day.

Ezra poorly attempted to swallow and lubricate his throat, "n – name?"

"You don't listen very well do you? From now on you nod or shake your head alright? Don't cause yourself any more discomfort" Ezra nodded in response. The figure in black knelt down beside in much as the figure in brown had done moments ago. The figure seemed to study him for a moment before speaking again, "you may call me 'Heiress' while you can call my companion 'Farmer'. They're obviously code names and it would be wise for you to use them. Don't try to figure out who we truly are, that will be revealed in time".

There were plenty of things that he wanted to say to Heiress at that moment. There were even more things that he knew that he should ask her. There were the basic ones like, why did she save him or is she truly a Jedi? From there it would only get more complicated.

"This may hurt you, but I'm going to do what I can to help you". The Heiress' hands hovered over his limp body stopping at several spots along the way. "This is more of the Farmer's specialty, but I will do what I can. There are some healing techniques that I'm familiar with that should help until we reach our destination".

Ezra nodded in response to her information then watched as the mysterious figures' hands immediately went to his impaled left calf. With no warning or no sedatives the Heiress heaved the object out of his leg eliciting a silenced cry of pain. He tried hard not to show it, however it was nearly impossible to completely ignore.

He began to sweat from the pain of the injuries he sustained. Ezra's breathing began to quicken and labor the longer he sat in his position. His eyes shut tightly trying to think of anything else that could get his mind off of this. Thoughts of his parents blended in with thoughts of Sabine, Kanan, Zeb, and Hera. Between his injuries and the memories of them all tears started to come to his eyes. The world felt as though it was about to cave in around him until a soft hand touched his clammy forehead.

His eyes opened to see Heiress' wiping his hair from his eyes while holding loosely onto his hand. The figure in black's hand rested on his forehead sending soothing waves to settle his anxious nerves. Ezra couldn't help but feel safe in this moment, feel calm.

"When I was growing up" Heiress started, "my mother used to sing to me to take my mind off of when I was hurt or sick. Her voice was very soothing, always finding the right song to make me feel better. There was always one that helped me most though, especially when things seemed like they were at their most bleak".

Heiress looked away from Ezra and off into the distance obviously lost in some happy memory from long ago. He didn't interrupt instead choosing to let her reminisce in her mind. He wasn't entirely surprised when she began to sing to herself, but in a voice that made him forget about the pain for a little while.

"Don't worry, about a thing. Because every little thing is going to be alright. I rose up this morning, smiling with the rising sun. Three little birds pitch by my doorstep singing sweet songs of melody pure and true, singing 'this is my message to you'".

Heiress turned back to look at Ezra who was looking at her win wonder in his blue eyes. He was convinced that the figure looking after him was a she due to her voice along with the fact that 'Heiress' is a feminine pronoun. Her voice was beautiful and relaxing just as she described her mother's. He could have said many things in that moment, but the strain on his voice halted any chance of a long drawn out reply.

"Thank you" he said simply with a voice course like sand.

She continued to hold his hand and send soothing waves of comfort to him with her other hand on his forehead. "You're welcome Ezra Bridger" she said without reprimanding him for speaking again.


	6. Chapter 6

The Heiress kept one hand on Ezra's forehead still sending soothing waves of energy while she continued to mend the most dire injuries. With delicate fingers he watched her slide up the sleeve on his right arm that had been torn apart by shards of glass. As soft as any person could she tilted his arm toward her to look at the damage that had been done. Ezra couldn't tell what her thoughts were as her expression was hidden by the mask and her words were kept to herself. Using her thumb and index finger she removed the largest pieces of glass from his forearm.

Ezra did his best to stifle the hisses that came with each of the six pieces. His eyes couldn't look away from the scene in front of him. There was a gruesome interest as he watched blood trickle out from the cuts and onto his exposed skin. It was surreal to see.

"These lacerations are minor enough that they won't need surgery. You'll be fine once we have this looked at by our specialist, until then I'm going to wrap it in one of your sleeves" she told him. Being delicate so she wouldn't disturb his injuries Heiress took a small knife from one of the pouches on her now exposed belt. She removed the head that had been soothing Ezra's mind then used it to pull what was left of his torn orange sleeve then cut it clean. The knife was placed back in its home freeing both hands to tie the makeshift tourniquet around the battered right forearm.

The masked face lifted up slightly in the direction of his left arm. Ezra watched anxiously as she seemed to stiffen at the sight. If he could turn his neck without the feeling of nerves pinching then he would have done so.

"You can't move your left arm, can you?" she asked to which he shook his head in response. "I will be honest with you, I think it needs to be amputated at once".

Panic set in at that moment. What could be so dire enough to remove his arm? He couldn't feel it sure, but he couldn't feel a lot of things at that moment. Removing a limb wasn't something to be done in the spur of the moment, it needed planning! His chest began to heave again as his heartrate began to spike.

"Shh" she soothed, once again placing her hand on his forehead. The mask turned to him, "you must relax, which sounds much easier than it is I know. Your arm has been partially severed already a little above the wrist. The bleeding has to stop if we're going to have any chance to be moved alright?"

He tried to turn his head to look, but was stopped by her hand. Heiress kept his chin in place and he could have sworn that he felt eyes looking at his. Her voice was soothing as was her touch, "don't look". A simple command that was hard to commit to. He wanted to see how bad it was, to know that there wasn't much else to do. Rational thought replaced such line of thinking causing him to simply nod.

"This won't hurt" she said. Her right arm moved from his right side to his left and out of his vision. Ezra could feel his shoulder, but not much else. He watched her chest rise and fall as she took a deep meditative breath much like he had done in tense situations. Her right arm came back into sight then reached beneath the cloak to reveal her lightsaber.

"Look at me Ezra" she told him. "Don't look away from the mask. Think about the most pleasant thought you can. Find a spot where you feel at peace and stay there". The voice felt hypnotizing so he listened to it, never hearing the Jedi weapon ignite or swipe just inches below his left elbow.

After a moment of simply trying to soothe her patient the Heiress perked up as if she were a prey sensing a predator. "The Farmer is coming with the ship, him and I will move you together. It'll be a short journey to our home where you'll be treated properly, okay?"

He nodded slowly to her. Ezra struggled to keep his eyes open once a wave of tired hit him. The eyelids that felt like they were glued open a moment before were now shutting on their own. A breeze blew back errant strands of hair from his forehead and he could hear it rustle the blades of grass around him. When combined with the still crackling fire from his wreckage it was a very soothing cacophony of nature's music.

Pictures of Hera and Kanan playing dejarik came to his mind's eye. The couple were chatting back and forth, distributing playful banter among one another. Off to their side on a chair was Zeb cleaning his blaster rifle after some mission that had surely gone awry. Finally, Sabine stood off to the side looking at the scene in front of her much like he was. Her two shades of purple hair hung down close to her eyes, her back leaning against the walls of the _Ghost_ looking like the confident woman she was. Her brown eyes glanced over to him as if she could feel him staring then her mouth curled into a semi-grin.

"Ezra?" A voice from beyond brought him back to reality. He opened his eyes to see the gray mask looking down upon him. "The Farmer is close, I can feel him approaching. It's time to go home".

Engines wound could be heard approaching them at an ever-growing pace until they drowned out all other sounds. Dust rose into the air as the 'Angel' set down upon the dying lands of Lothal. The ramp lowered to the ground, but Ezra could only see a vague outline of the tremendous sleek silver craft that set down behind the bulk of the TIE Defender. The Farmer walked over from behind the wreck with a stretcher under his arm.

"How's he doing?" the male voice of the brown cloaked figure asked as he approached.

The Heiress stood up to her full height – which wasn't tall now that he noticed – to address her companion, "stable, for now. His left forearm had been crushed, it was unsalvageable. I removed the rod that was in his calf as well as the glass in his right arm. There's more than enough to warrant a bacta tank, but like I said, he should be alright for the way back".

"Ezra" the male figure addressed him, "we'll put you on this stretcher then place you in the master bedroom where you can try to rest as much as possible. One of us will be with you on the way back to provide company and explain what's going on, alright?"

He nodded then watched the pair set themselves on the ends of the device that would carry him back to their craft. To his surprise, they each lifted their ends into the air without him on it. Neither person had to raise a hand to lift his broken body into the air or to move him the few feet over the strong canvas that made the base part of the stretcher. As gently as they could the mysterious Force users put his body onto the device.

"This wasn't how this was supposed to go y'know" the Farmer said during the first few steps of their short walk. "We came here to speak to you and Master Dume to see if you would like to come meet with…us. It took us a very long time to track you guys down once we heard about the two Jedi who had been roaming around this system. You'd think that narrowing you both to one specific place would make finding you both easy".

They passed by the Defender's wreckage that was slit lit with flames in several spots. The two side wings were both attached, but broken and bent way beyond repair. What had been the top wing was now decimated, laying tens of feet behind the main bulb of the ship's body. Pieces of silver and black debris lined the trench made by the TIE sliding along the grassy plain. Somebody must have been watching out for him today.

Boots made their transition from grass to metal bringing his attention away from the wreck. Ezra was in awe as he seemed to be swallowed up by a sleek, silver craft that was nearly seamless. Every panel was neatly laid together making it look as though the ship was made out of one solid piece of metal. The outside of the ship reflected images of the mountains and plains while the inside looked like a luxurious apartment in the finest of systems. His eyes danced across every nook and cranny as his two saviors brought him up the slowly closing ramp.

Every part of him wanted to explore what this ship had to offer, if only he wasn't so hindered by broken ribs, cheeks, internal organ damage, etc. He was sure that Hera would be completely envious of such a work of art, though she would never show it – her pride would keep that from happening. This thing looked like it was brand new meaning that these people probably had quite a few credits to their names as well. Who exactly are they though?

Ezra was so excited about the ship that he barely noticed the chrome interior had transitioned into a very pleasant shade of deep blue. The stretcher was lowering until Ezra felt the strain on his muscles relax. A mattress was now supporting his weight and it brought a complete sense of relief to every bruised inch of his body.

He felt like he was at the height of luxury in his current settings. The bed he was on was not only soft, but decorated with patterns of gold diamonds mixed with purple flowers on the blankets. From what he could see, the ceiling was the same shade of blue as the walls making everything seem relaxing. Mahogany dressers were pressed up against two of the walls facing the headboard of the bed, one having an ornately trimmed mirror attached to it.

"The return flight won't be more than an hour or two depending on the hyperspace lane we have to take" the Farmer said to Ezra. "During that time the Heiress and I will take turns at the helm while the other spends time explaining or giving you company". Ezra nodded in response.

"Do we have any more of those lozenges we picked up from the market? He's inhaled plenty of smoke during his time at the accident. If we want to talk to him then we should give him one" she asked her companion from across the bed. The Farmer nodded, disappeared for a moment to loudly rustle through a cabinet in a nearby room then returned.

"Beware" he said before he held out his hand to Ezra, "they'll cure your throat's soreness, but the taste is most bitter".

"You'll have to give it to him, his arm" she told him again pointing to the missing left arm. The Farmer's shoulders seemed to slump once he realized his error. He moved the lozenge between his index finger and his thumb then placed the consumable on Ezra's tongue. It was strange being fed by someone, yet relaxing knowing he would have some normal function back. Until the taste set in.

His face puckered then twisted as the taste became so terrible he tried to air off his tongue. Ezra's eyes watered during the unpleasant moments following the healing of his throat.

"Here, quick" the guy said urgently with a little laughter mixed in. "This is much better tasting I can assure you that". Ezra looked suspiciously at the little purple-blue fruit then back towards the figure in brown that wore the same mask as the Heiress. "It's better I promise".

Reluctantly, Ezra opened up to allow the small berry into his mouth. He kept his eyes suspiciously on the figure who gave him the fruit while he began to chew. To his surprise, it tasted sweet, savory.

"Thank you" Ezra replied in a scratchy, but semi-normal voice.

The Farmer nodded in response then looked towards the third member in the room. The Heiress seemed to know what he was thinking about as she nodded back to her companion then left the room, sparing Ezra one last glance before exiting the room. Once she left to presumably pilot the ship her male companion sat down on the bed near Ezra's feet taking a deep breath.

It was clear that this person was tired and in need of rest. The way his shoulders were slumped over while he held his chin on his hand made it clear that he needed either food or sleep. Ezra couldn't help but feel guilty for being such a burden on two very kind strangers. He loathed not being able to carry his own weight when he needed to. However, that brought his mind back to the fact that he didn't know these two at all. While he had the chance it was best to learn what he could, but there was also something he needed to know.

"Have you spoken to my friends?" Ezra asked the stranger in his still raspy voice.

The Farmer turned his head towards Ezra's still broken form, "no. They weren't supposed to know about our meeting or about who we are. The Jedi we live with are very secretive about our operation and identities so the less who know the better".

"They need to know I'm alive" Ezra told him firmly. "I need to go speak with them as soon as I can. They're basically my family".

"I understand Ezra, but that isn't going to be up to me. Believe me, I know all about family" the Farmer said in a frustrated tone that carried a weight with it. Ezra did seem to put some trust in what this guy was saying, but he wasn't sure why. The Phoenix crew was always cautious with strangers, yet this case felt different. He _felt_ like this is where he should be at this moment, and _felt_ like he should be placing his trust in these two.

The Farmer turned back to his position losing himself in his thoughts while he spoke, "it's up to the Pilot as well as the Diplomat. They're the two that make the decisions for us as Jedi".

Ezra raised his left eyebrow after hearing yet another codename, "so there's the Queen, Pilot, Diplomat, Heiress, and the Farmer?"

A sigh came from the figure at the end of the bed. His head fell backwards as if it was pulled back by a hand. The hood fell back to his shoulders exposing the back of the mask as well as tinges of what looked like bit of hair. Ezra wasn't surprised when the Farmer finally collapsed onto the bed near his feet. Ezra tried his best not to show it, but the increased pressure on the bed sent a jolt of pain up his calves.

"As I'm sure you've noticed they're codenames for our missions. Back on our home planet of Batuu we use our actual names unless we're with strangers that we don't completely trust. I understand that rule completely as I'm sure you do too Specter Six".

"How do you know so much about me and who are you?" he asked with genuine interest.

Still sprawled out on the bed Ezra's caretaker spoke, "well I'm sure you know by now, but we're part of a fledgling group of Jedi who've survived the purge. Normally, we just keep to ourselves on our planet doing small vigilante work here or there. We'll stop petty thefts, murders, mostly small crimes. My…masters aren't blind to what the Empire is or does, but we aren't strong enough to face it yet. There are only four of us right now, two of us are still training".

The masked face turned to Ezra, "it's one of the reasons we came to find you and Master Dume a few days ago. We've heard stories about the two Jedi knights roaming around Lothal fighting the Empire. Once the news trickled back to Batuu the Pilot and the Diplomat knew we had to contact you soon as we could. The two masters sent the Heiress and myself to meet you both here a couple days ago. Our goal was to meet you both, but when she sensed you were in danger we found you immediately, and here we are".

"These masters" Ezra started, "they want to train us?"

The Farmer sat up, supporting himself with his arms that sunk into the soft mattress. The eyes behind the mask were looking for something that couldn't be seen with eyes alone. A soft voice responded to Ezra, "they do, and we need your help Ezra Bridger".

"For what?"

"We need you to help to build the order that can destroy the Sith".


	7. Chapter 7

Birds chirped, forest animals made sounds to attract their potential mating partners, and the water of the stream in front of Sabine supplied an endless flow of trickling water to make up what would normally be a peaceful scene. Great sheets of green blades of grass gave her something soft to sit on underneath the shades of the deciduous trees overhead. Sunlight snuck down between the leaves of the tall trees warming her exposed skin. Yavin IV was doing everything it could to cheer up her blue heart, but it wasn't going to work.

The moment the crew returned to the Rebel base she left the ship, heading straight into the forest to be alone, but not before raiding Ezra's bunk to take the only piece of clothing left in his wardrobe. She held the black t-shirt close to her chest while her brown eyes looked into the deep blue-green depths of the stream. The soft material felt soothing in her exposed fingertips, mulling over every inch of the fabric physically and mentally.

It wasn't like her to be unrealistically optimistic. Her childhood was based around the ways of her people, which did not include prayers or hoping for the best – especially when it was all but a certainty that Ezra was dead. All signs pointed to that conclusion. Part of her remained hopeful contrary to her upbringing, because living without that kid wasn't something she could understand.

Sabine knew that when you live with someone for years you couldn't forget about them overnight, possibly ever. When she woke up Sabine had her morning routine: paint, eat, then wait for the other teenager to wake up. From there they would learn about one another, something that she felt was extremely underrated in friendships. Those conversations told her all about his insecurities - as a Rebel, Jedi, and as a person – that shadowed him everywhere he went. She also learned that he had a lighter side to him where he could make her laugh with the simplest story and jokes. The kid had a way about him that made him seem simple at first, but also had layers to him that she enjoyed uncovering. Then when she went to bed at the tail end of the day Sabine would think about what she had learned about him.

That was her routine every day for some time. At first, she had tolerated the Lothal native who seemed to be full of arrogance that caused him to forgo help from anyone else. But that was long ago. Daily meetings and missions with Ezra ingrained him in her life. He had been sewn into the fabric of her days just like any of the daily meals or painting. That would now have to change since there would be no more meetings or talks to learn about one another.

Feeling another onset of unwanted emotion Sabine tightened her eyes. The once foreign feelings of loneliness and heartache came again with her memories. Her knuckles became white as her fingers tightened relentlessly around the black soft cloth that her friend once wore. They weren't lovers, they were just close and in a strictly platonic relationship. He was seventeen, her nineteen, they were too young for anything like that or so she thought. They were warriors fighting against the ultimate tyranny in the form of the Empire, there was no time for such personal things.

Then Sabine thought about something, what about when the war ended? She had thought about it a few times of course, but never really putting much detail into it. Mandalore was always an option for her – it was home after all. She could help rebuild what had once been a great society that flourished for hundreds of years. The young woman owed it to her people to help do such a thing as it was partially her fault that the Empire had been so harsh on them. That life would be meaningful with plenty of loneliness though. Sabine knew her family was going be there, however she had no idea about the _Ghost_ family.

With the black shirt still in her death grip Sabine laid down on the semi-wet grass. Her eyes saw specks of color through the mostly green leaves on the trees above her. From an outside perspective it looked as though she was inspecting the scenery around her while there couldn't be anything further from the truth. The thought of the _Ghost_ crew's fate after the war came to rest in her mind.

Zeb could adapt anywhere he went. The Losat could do anything he really wanted as long as it was legal. He had become an 'uncle' figure to her when she needed one most. Sometimes cynical, but always there when he was needed. He would make a difference if he came to Mandalore with her just like Kanan and Hera would.

They would never be split up once this thing was all over. Their discrete actions could only be kept like that for so long. Once this war was over the couple would have no choice, but to be open about their secretive romance. Two peas in a pod those two were, never to be broken up when they finally had the opportunity to spend a normal life with one another. She could be an aunt one day when the first child came along, expanding their family.

Family. They couldn't be split up from one another even when the blasters fell silent. The couple, the Losat, Ezra…they should have been stuck together no matter what. Who knew what would have happened when the war was over? Maybe they had a chance when they only had that to focus on…or even now. Until she remembered.

Crying wasn't going to help her. Neither had killing those Stormtroopers, the last one's pleas still ringing in her ears unwilling to leave her alone. Sabine closed her eyes again trying her best to ignore the pain in her heart and in her head. Unknowingly, she fell asleep with the grass acting as a pillow, the wind as a lullaby, and Ezra's shirt as a safety net.

 _Fireworks set off brilliant hues of blue in the night sky. Stars were seen off in the background quietly adding to the array above her. The explosions of the fireworks were met with cheers from what sounded like thousands of people standing behind Sabine. A confused expression came across her face as she turned her body around to see where the sounds were coming from._

 _There behind her was the silhouette of the capital city of Lothal with hundreds of people only standing only a few feet from her. Every person wore Rebel gear of some kind. Familiar orange pilot suits mixed in with green suits of commandos forming a hodge-podge of characters. Some were clapping their hands in an exuberant show of joy, others were cheering loudly, while some were using the occasion to find someone to lock lips with – something that was making her very uncomfortable._

 _Deciding that now would be a good time to move Sabine looked away from the public displays of affection and into the crowd. Strands of different colored confetti rained down upon the mass of people only causing them to cheer louder. She felt mentally as well as physically confused, something that only grew the longer she looked around at each of the beings in the crowd._

 _Engines approaching from the distance caught her attention. Sabine turned around expecting to see TIEs flying in on a bombing run only to see X-Wings and Y-Wings dropping more fireworks into the sky. The normal dark blanket of night that would cover the city was torn back with every explosion as fireworks luminated the surrounding areas._

 _"Sabine!" a voice from her diagonal right called out._

 _She turned around to look where the voice was coming from only to be greeted by the same potpourri of strangers as she had seen before. No one looked familiar to her in this crowd that seemed to be more interested in the celebration. She must be wrong though since someone had called out to her. The voice called to her again like the first time, once again lost in the crowd. Her eyes sought anyone familiar yet again finding absolutely no one._

 _A hand grabbed her left arm causing her to rip her limb out of the grasp ready to fight whoever it was. Rather than a hostile imperial Sabine was greeted a friendly, familiar face._

 _"Ryder?" she asked not hiding her bewilderment. "What's going on?"_

 _Ryder laughed as he snuck his way through the crowd to face her with a genuine smile on his face. The utter happiness that oozed off of him did not suit the man she had come to know. The Ryder she was used to would have some lighthearted quips here or there, but never this type of carefree attitude._

 _"Such a kidder as always. Come on, let's go see the others to get this party started!" Ryder began to walk away giving her no choice to follow. The elderly man wove his way through jubilant people without any pleasantries. When she looked around to get her bearings she noticed that Ryder was taking her towards the city, specifically in the direction of a small cluster of one floor concrete buildings._

 _Sabine dodged elbows, feet, and moving bodies all while trying to make sure she stayed right on her elderly guide's tail. Voices came from all directions speaking in numerous languages that she couldn't understand, saying too much for her to decipher. The sea of people was so thick that the ground may as well have been nonexistent, it felt as though the entire Rebellion gathered at the one spot. Then the conglomeration of beings ended, signaled by the beginnings of cobblestone streets lined by street lamps._

 _Ryder took a look back to make sure she was still following him, satisfied with what he saw the old man started once again. Sabine caught up to him in no time due to his slow pace. Questions formed from the moment she saw him only to be stuck in her brain. Anything she had to ask seemed pointless at the moment. Something told her that all of the answers that were out of reach would come to her momentarily._

 _House after house passed them by on each side of the illuminated road until they came upon a wide one-story dwelling. Five first floor windows had lights glowing from inside allowing her to see the silhouettes of furniture. Sabine's face contorted in bewilderment until Ryder motioned for her to come to the gate that sat between the neighbor's house. Voices from the back gave her an idea of where Ryder was taking her._

 _Taking initiative, Sabine walked on the small sidewalk to reach the gate. With a smile Ryder opened the wooden, thigh high door for her to pass through. Walking into the fenced in backyard brought her face to face with what looked like a party. Bottles of the finest champagne were laid on a stone table next to tables of seasoned bantha stakes along with different sides. The smell coming from the table was divine._

 _"Look who finally decided to show up!"_

 _Sabine whipped her head to the right to see Hera, Kanan, Zeb, her parents, her brother, and Ezra standing in a circle with drinks in hand laughing. Never before had they all looked so carefree, each with a tooth-filled grin. Her feet felt lighter than they ever had before at the scene in front of her. In front of the young Mandalorian was everyone who she could honestly say she loved._

 _Hera had one arm wrapped around Kanan's waist waved her over with the hand that held her drink. The voice that was normally stern was now jovial, "we've been waiting for you to finally start celebrating. We can't begin to enjoy our newfound freedom without the last member of our family, can we?"_

 _With shaking legs Sabine made her way to them, her eyes searching the faces of each person until they stopped on Ezra. The young man of seventeen stood next to her brother on the open right end of the 'c' shape with an open hand extending to her. His smile that had been such a welcome sight now greeted her warmer than she could ever remember. The blue eyes attracted her like a magnet, bringing closer until she was within arm's reach of him._

 _Her eyes looked down at the outstretched hand of Ezra before she spoke in voice that qas quiet as a mouse, "is this real?"_

 _"Doesn't seem like it does it" her father spoke to her, "but I can assure you that the nightmare is officially over. The Emperor was captured by Rebel forces only hours ago; they forced him to sign an armistice. Our Civil War is over Sabine"._

 _"We don't have to run anymore Sabine. Fighting is now a thing of the past that we won't have to live through anymore. No longer do we have to risk our lives for the most basic supplies or think about who will turn us over to the Empire. It's just us living a life we want to live" Ezra told her as he looked down at her._

 _She looked into Ezra's eyes seeing the honesty in his words. Her parents, Hera, Kanan, Zeb, her brother, all were smiling back at her with glee in their expressions. They were all there together sharing the bliss of what the future could hold for all of them. The weight of the world was lifted off of her shoulders and Sabine began to laugh to herself quietly. Her eyes felt misty as the feelings the others were showing wore off on her._

 _From her right a callous finger wiped away the teardrop that had been running down the side of her nose. The touch felt warm to her, gentle as it took away the unwanted tear. Her eyes closed at the touch then opened back up to see Ezra's grin morph into a smile where the right side of his lips curled upwards. His voice came soft as his touch, "don't cry. This isn't something to be upset about anymore, unless you're going to miss making your colorful explosives. In that case you may just be out of luck"._

 _"I was so looking forward to that too" she said with a small laugh of her own. "I guess I'll just have to sell paintings or fireworks instead. By the looks of things, it seems like the Rebels could definitely use more of those"._

 _A feather-light sensation tickled her fingertips, looking down at her hand Sabine saw Ezra's fingers slowly enveloping her own. Bubbles filled up her stomach while she watched the action unfold. Involuntarily, her hand shook as Ezra's hand continued to wrap around her own. It was gentle, sweet, welcome after the relief of knowing the war was over. Taking a chance, Sabine swallowed hard then spread her fingers to interlace her hand with his._

 _"Things are changing" he said whispering into her ear, "maybe we should change with them"._

The dream began to fade to black at that moment. Sabine could feel herself being pulled from the fantasy far too early. Mentally, she tried to grasp onto the scene for just another second or more. The attempt turned out to be in vain as she could hear a voice from beyond calling her name repetitively. Finally, she felt herself return to reality once again, and with it she remembered that life was nowhere as sweet as her dream.

"Sabine, where are you?" Kanan called out to her once again. His voice sounded urgent, almost like he had been looking for her for some length of time already.

Opening her eyes, the young woman of nineteen was greeted with darkness. No longer was it a nice fall afternoon, but a chilly night. The water could be heard a short few feet from her legs, wind still rustled the trees overhead just like before. Sunlight had transitioned to night while she had been sleeping, yet it seemed to be telling her to go back to bed so she could be in a future that was a paradise. One where everything was so right. Sabine desperately wanted to oblige the night and nature around her.

Leaves crunched telling her that Kanan had sensed where she was. Talking to someone was the last thing she wanted to do right now, every word would no doubt take her further away from the utopia in her dreams. Escaping wouldn't be an option; the Jedi would just find her once she stopped moving anyway.

"Sabine, we've been looking everywhere for you" he said once he came into view from behind some of the trees. When she didn't respond he spoke again, "you should come back".

"I don't want to".

"Allowing yourself to freeze all night will help nothing. Come back to the base, get something to eat, and then we can all talk". His voice was stern, almost commanding her to do such things.

"I said I don't want to Kanan!" she whipped around to see him standing there with his arms limp by his side. The man's voice betrayed what he must really be feeling right now. Body language was much more revealing than any sort of spoken word, and she could see that Kanan was lost. Jedi weren't supposed to be this affected by any sort of personal tragedy - she knew that much from Ezra's teachings – right now however, his slumped shoulders gave him away.

She had expected him to leave her alone so Sabine was surprised when he sat next to her on the damp grass. Kanan placed his hands on his crossed legs, facing the stream in front of them both. Silence hung over the pair who were closest to Ezra while they sat together in anything but peace. When he spoke to her his voice was void of any emotion, "they want to have a service for him".

Night's air just became much colder for Sabine, Kanan's words floating around in it. "A funeral" her voice almost dissipating in the breeze.

"Yeah" Kanan said before taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "Senator Mothma wants to thank him for his services to the Rebellion, but she said the decision is up to us. If we don't want to have it then she won't announce it to the Alliance".

"And you came to find me to see if I wanted to have it. The decision is being left up to me alone even though we all knew him equally?"

"Hera thought it was best to leave it up to you and me" his speech cracking as he spoke. She heard him take an unstable calming breath before he said, "it's a final goodbye to him. We would talk about who he was to us".

Sabine squinted her eyes in anger, "they want to use his death as a rallying cry! Mon Mothma doesn't care about who he was, none of them do! Nobody knew Ezra like we did, they don't deserve to give their well wishes about someone that may as well have been a stranger to them". Her fingers clenched in barely controlled rage then she felt the black shirt in her fingertips again. Looking down at the shirt she had been clinging to Sabine came to a conclusion, "no. No public funeral. It should just be you, Hera, Zeb, maybe a couple others, and me. There shouldn't be anyone there to politicize our loss or to disgrace it with their attempts to use him as a martyr".

A cold breeze tossed her bangs around and brought goosebumps to the exposed skin of her neck. The night that had been so welcoming earlier told her that now was the time to head back. More nights would come calling for her, she knew that. Opportunity would come for her, bringing her right back to this spot sooner or later.

"Then that's what we'll do; it'll just be us plus a few more to…to…" Kanan was starting to lose his composure. Hearing him struggle to get the final words out made it impossible to stop the dam from breaking. Sabine scooted over to her Jedi companion then wrapped her arms around his shoulders tightly. Laying her head on his shoulders seemed to be the breaking point for them both starting the unstoppable flow of weeping.


	8. Chapter 8

**Bit of a reveal at the end of the chapter, and this is where the story takes an AU turn. Hopefully you enjoy it, but the story is going to focus on Ezra and Sabine like the first couple chapters have shown. I've had nothing but positive reviews from you guys, so a quick thank you for that since I really enjoy writing this one. Hopefully I keep it up!**

Sweat pooled on Ezra's forehead just as his right hand gripped the incredibly soft sheets he was laid on. Every inch of his skin was searing, from his forehead to the tips of his toes. He closed his eyes trying to wish the hurt out of his body. The Force wouldn't respond to his call, he had been trying to center himself in its vast field of energy only to be unable to tap into it. Teeth clenched when another wave of fire tingled his limbs.

A wet cloth touched his forehead soothing him for a moment of quick relief. Ezra's deep blue eyes saw the Heiress' trying to help however she could. These two had been nothing, but helpful every single moment he had been with them. If his body recovered then he was going to do every little thing in his power to make sure that they were repaid. The biggest problem in the Galaxy – besides the Empire – was that nobody helped each other out when they needed it most. Ezra was not raised to be a leech nor would he allow their honorable deeds to go forgotten.

Moving his body didn't help much at all with alleviating his pain. Every twitch only made the searing feeling ten times worse. His shoulders jerked resulting in a firm hand being placed on them. "I know it hurts right now, but you have got to stay still Ezra. We'll be landing any moment now, and when we do the first thing that will happen is placing you in a bacta tank. This will be over soon".

"I'm sorry" he said to her his voice hoarse. His returned to their clenching, another surge of pain coming over him. He just had to keep reminding himself that this would be over soon, he just had to toughen up.

"What can you possibly be sorry for?" she asked him with a small laugh. The stranger dampened another cloth in a bowl of ice water then placed dabbed the sweat off of his forehead again.

Relief came and went quickly once the cloth touched his heated skin. He swallowed what little spit he had then tried to explain, "for being a burden. This isn't what I wanted when I tried to save my friends. Had I known this was the result of that then maybe I should have –"

"Stop" she said firmly, and with authority. The woman's command was powerful enough to scare him out of finishing what he wanted to say to her. Her tone sounded remarkably like Sabine's as a matter of fact. "This is no burden to either my partner or the Jedi that I serve with. We were coming to find you to bring you back also prepared for anything along the way. If you were going to be too much trouble for us then the Farmer and I would have left you with the Stormtroopers back on Lothal".

The Heiress removed the cloth, wet it, wrung it, then placed it back to his face to rid it of the nervous sweat that had come with his discomfort. "The truth is" she continued, "we need you. We've needed someone like you or Kanan for a long time now. The Farmer told me what he explained, and it was a good bit of why we found you, but it wasn't all of it. You know about our small tasks in our community and of our overall goal to rid the Galaxy of the Sith, that's a start. What he didn't have time to tell you was that you can help convince the Pilot and the Diplomat to take action against the Empire".

The mask that concealed her features pointed in his direction to drive her point home, "we want to fight like you have Ezra. The Farmer and I, we think we're ready for this next step towards making a real difference. Don't get me wrong, I know that stopping thieves or assaults can change someone's life for the better, but it doesn't change the overall problem that affects _all_ of us. Law enforcement should replace us on Batuu so we can do something else".

"You want to leave your home?" he asked through a wince.

"No Ezra, I want them to come with us. The Farmer and I aren't the most powerful of us four, not even close. The Pilot and the Diplomat are two of the most powerful Jedi to have ever lived. They alone could take out plenty of Imperials, they could do untold damage to the Empire. With our combined strength we could bring down the Empire. If you join us, help the Farmer and I convince them then we could bring freedom to all".

Ezra could feel the _Angel_ 's engines starting their landing cycle meaning they had finally begun to land. Being healed should be foremost on his brain, however her words hung over him. If what she said was true then he could bring them back to the Alliance with him to truly turn the tide against the Emperor and against Darth Discipulus. Ezra couldn't fool himself, he was no great orator who could speak to the masses at will. Like most things though he would probably have to learn in a trial by fire. Having seen the skill of his saviors Ezra knew that their mentors must be incredibly powerful Jedi; failure was not an option.

The Farmer appeared from the doorway of the bedroom where Ezra had been laying for the entirety of the journey. The wary, tired body language that he had seen on the man was replaced by concealed excitement. The Farmer's voice sounded much lighter than when Ezra had last seen him, "it's time to go. Heiress, if you want to grab the handles near his head then I'll take the ones near his feet".

Delicately, the pair lifted the stretcher into the air making sure not to hurt their acquaintance any more than he already was. Every step taken was taken with care. Ezra watched the bedroom morph into the hallway then into the loading bay of the enormous ship. It seemed much faster of a journey this time unlike before, and unlike before he was having a hard time focusing on finer details of the Jedi's ship.

"Did you talk to the Queen?" Heiress asked as her hand reached for the ramp control panel on the wall.

"Yes, the Pilot is out with the Diplomat right now, it'll just be her and us until they get back. She's prepped the bacta tank for him so all we have to do is bring him inside then she can take care of the rest as always".

"A miracle worker as always" she said, and Ezra could hear the smile in her voice when she spoke. Her finger finally pressed the button, allowing the trio to walk down the ramp.

The Sun's rays had fallen by then giving Ezra nothing to look at. It had become so dark that no silhouettes could be seen, except for the one who stood only a few feet away from the sleek silver craft that had landed on their territory. He soon realized that the lone shadow had no mask on unlike the two he was with. Lighting would have given him a prime chance to see who it was, yet all he could do was assume that this was the group's Queen like the Farmer had said.

"Greetings can wait" the Queen said to the three of them, "come quickly, we'll take care of him fast". By now, his sweating was uncontrolled as was the shaking in his right hand. His sight was becoming more impaired by the moment, everything just seemed blurry. Short bursts of conversation could be vaguely heart, merely not understood. Nothing could be comprehended during his trip from the _Angel_ to the tank, all he knew was that he was in bad shape.

The last thing that Ezra could truly sense were emotions in the Force. Worry was the main thing he could decipher, followed closely by what felt like hope. Once he woke up from his healing bath then he would get straight to work on helping these Jedi as well as the Rebellion. He made himself a promise.

Immediately afterwards, Ezra blacked out.

Someone was pacing in front of his bed, he could _hear_ it. The sound of heavy boots walking over hard tile floor is unmistakable. Ezra realized that his senses began to come back to him faster than he could have possibly imagined. No sharp bolts of pain electrified his body this time though, only a deep soreness in his joints that caused him to groan louder than he would have thought necessary.

"I'm glad to see that you're awake. How do you feel?"

That was not the voice of the Queen, Farmer, or the Heiress, that much he knew. Heavy eyelids tried their best to show him the new world he was in, only to seem like they were glued shut. Ezra took a deep breath in frustration followed by a quick gagging sensation. Something smelled like heavy bleach mixed with a sickening amount of strong alcohol.

A chair rolled across the floor over to his side. Again he tried to open his eye lids wide to see who was with him, simply finding that they were too heavy to do as he wished. He sighed loudly, then ran his fingers through the knitted blanket that was laid over his fingers.

Pressure on his soft bed caught his attention, and forced him to stop fidgeting around. The same voice from a moment ago addressed him again, "I'll take that silence as confirmation that you're feeling a little better. The smell of bacta doesn't please the nostrils though, I take it that's what made you gag there. The stuff is a miracle, but that's definitely a drawback".

His voice was deeper than the three others he had heard before. The man was speaking in a comforting tone, doing his best not to scare Ezra, something he was deeply grateful for. The Force came rushing back to the young Jedi apprentice when he called to it; the mysterious energy that bound all living things told him that the man's intentions were good. It seemed that these people would have his undying gratitude so long he had a breath in his body. However, he had to ask, "will my loss of sight be permanent?"

"None of your injuries will plague you any longer. Your sight should return in a few minutes or so, it's a side effect of the bacta tank. I've had that myself a time or two, but so far it's never been lifelong".

"So far? That sounds pretty reassuring" Ezra couldn't help but remark. It definitely wasn't the right thing to say to someone who just saved your life. Hopefully, his occasional lack of a filter wasn't going to get him thrown out of this place. To his relief, he heard the man laugh.

"You sound just like my master. I'm glad that we picked up someone with a decent sense of humor, we could use someone like that". A minute passed before the man leaned back in his chair making it creak like an old house in a wind storm. Ezra heard him exhale loudly as the pressure released from what he realized was a form-fitting bed. Probably why he was so comfortable right now.

For the third time, Ezra tried to open his eyes this time finding success. He still had to fight to find his sight, but it came to him. After blinking several times to adjust his sight everything came into focus. His room was painted a plain white, no detailing or anything to give it character. Classic tan trim made up the transition from the sandy colored tile floor to the walls around him. The room wasn't very large, maybe fifteen feet long by ten feet wide. One window sat in front of him while another was to his right; there wasn't much to see just yet since it seemed to be very early morning with the sun's rays tinting the sky teal.

Ezra's eyes caught sight of a dark figure in the chair to his right by the door. There leaning on his elbows was a man in his late thirties or very early forties. He wore a set of black and dark brown robes similar to the ones that the Farmer and Heiress had on when they took him away from Lothal. Shaggy light brown hair came down to his shoulders, and a beard of the same color covered his jaw, mouth and chin. The man's piercing blue eyes studied Ezra looking for some sort of reaction to his situation.

You can only make a good first impression once, so he decided to make his presence a comfortable one, "I want to thank you for what you've all done for me. It's not very often that strangers go out of their way to save another stranger's life when he's on death's doorstep. Your padawans have been trained excellently, you should be very proud of their efforts to get me back here in…mostly one piece" he finished looking at his stump of a left arm with a tinge of sadness on his face.

"From what they told me about your crash and the Stormtroopers it's a miracle that you weren't killed Ezra. I've tried to raise them as best as I possibly could, but unfortunately their medic skill wasn't my doing, but my own master. He has a knack for that sort of thing". The man gave Ezra a sad smile then looked at the stump that was wrapped in bandages. His blue eyes found Ezra's, "I've lost a limb too. It's hard at first to get over the trauma of losing something that's been part of you for so long. Eventually, it gets easier, at least for limbs anyway. I should be able to fit you with a prosthetic within the next couple days".

"You don't have to do that Master" Ezra said to him with plenty of bashfulness in his voice. His right hand gripped the sheets tightly out of embarrassment, "I don't think I'll be able to pay you back for what you've done already. Going that far would be –"

"The right thing to do" he said with a smile. The man ran a gloved hand through his long hair to reveal more of his face, and a deep scar very close to his right eye. "We do the right thing for those who need it. You need an arm. Luckily, I have the exact mechanical experience to solve that problem. As for repayment, none is necessary. Though, I do have something I want you to consider if you would".

He knew exactly where the Jedi master was going with this request, "you wish for me to join you, right?"

"That's right" he said with a smile. Ezra got nothing but good vibes from this man, everything he did seemed to be done to make his guest comfortable. "You could be a very valuable addition to our small group of Jedi. I've followed your career with great interest Ezra Bridger, and I'm more than impressed by your achievements. The things you, Caleb Dume, and your crew have done are things to be commended. One day we may try to do the same".

"What about Kanan, would you try to find him again?"

The Jedi master gave Ezra a look that seemed to ask if he was crazy, "of course! We need all the members we can find, especially someone who knew the ways of the Jedi and how they could be improved upon. The Jedi nearly died out for a reason, having someone to help us by giving their thoughts could be the first steps towards establishing a better Jedi Order. When it's time for you, the Farmer, and the Heiress to inherit that Order then the problems that brought down the old one would hopefully be mended. That's a secondary goal for us though when compared to the threat the Emperor and his…right hand".

"I've fought her before" he told the Jedi. Ezra stared blankly at the white walls that encompassed his bed. "Darth Discipulus I mean. She's more skilled than I could have possibly imagined. We were on a mission on Lothal to rescue the Governor who sent out a distress signal to us. The Governor escaped with us, but Discipulus was waiting for us with legions of Stormtroopers. By that time, it was clear we had been led into a trap, but Kanan and I had to hold her off so the others could help our passenger onboard. We were overmatched, over our heads taking her on. The two lightsabers she had met our every slash".

Ezra looked over to the figure who had been speaking to him. Fear had overtaken his blue eyes, replacing the sprightly attitude he had seen before. The man didn't move at all, he just stared at his patient like he had just seen a ghost. The man leaned back into his chair again turning his gaze downward. It didn't take a psychiatrist to notice the signs of emotional ache that had come about when Ezra mentioned the Sith Lord.

"I'm happy you made it out alive. It takes a lot of talent to overcome someone of her skill" he said with an emotionless voice.

Seeing his caretaker upset didn't do much to brighten Ezra's spirits. Whatever the reason was that the Dark Lord dampened his mood he didn't want to ask. Instead he hoped that the man would appreciate a change in subject, "if I join you Master then will you teach me what I don't already know? I'm no longer arrogant enough to think that I'm finished learning what's necessary to help you all on your quest. There's more that I need to be able to achieve my potential".

"I wish that I had your humility when I was your age Ezra. Nothing would make me happier than to do exactly that. If you wish to help us then my Master and I will teach you everything we can" he said with a smile. The man held out his gloved hand for Ezra to take or reject, a gentleman's agreement to join what was left of the Jedi or to return back to the alliance now. Calming himself, Ezra placed shook the leather gloved hand of the Jedi master knowing that if he could convince this man to help the Rebellion then victory would surely be within their reach.

 **("The Force Theme" - Lucas King)**

Retracting his hand, the man stood up revealing his rather tall form as well as the black robe that hung around his shoulders. He placed his arms inside of his sleeves, finally smiling down upon Ezra. The expression was something the younger man had seen before on Kanan's face anytime he felt pride. "I guess we have to get you feeling healthy as soon as possible then to see what you can do in person. Until then, I'll send in everyone to introduce themselves to you once they wake up. I'm sure my Master will want to say a few words once he's done with his morning routine. As for now, get some rest Ezra Bridger".

"Wait!" Ezra called out causing the man to turn around in the doorway, "are you the Pilot or are you the Diplomat?"

The side of the man's lip curled in response to the question, "since my idea of diplomacy can turn aggressive I'm definitely not the Diplomat of this group. On missions you'll have to call me the Pilot due to my love for flying. Otherwise, you can call me Anakin".


	9. Chapter 9

**Some of you have had questions about Vader and where he fits into the story. I'm not a very big fan of spoilers so you'll have to read to find out about why Anakin didn't turn to the Dark Side. That's all I'll say for now. Though, I will say that the roots of future tension begin in this chapter. Enjoy! Also, have a great Thanksgiving!**

Once Anakin left Ezra took the time to reach into the Force to see what it had in store for him. The planet felt no richer in the endless energy than anywhere else he had been before much to his disappointment. He wasn't sure what exactly he had been hoping for when he showed up, maybe he had subconscious expectations of an isolated world with hundreds of native species – a place where the Force would thrive. Then again, he wasn't sure that this place wasn't like that because of his condition when they all arrive here.

Pulling back the covers of the blue, and green knitted blanket Ezra freed his legs from their hold. Bacta certainly had its miracles, it seemed like every wound that had been there was replaced by perfect flesh. Scars marked some parts of his limbs – notably the spot where his leg had been impaled – for the most part though he couldn't be happier with the outcome. Again, he couldn't help but feel forever indebted to these folk who rescued him.

Air flowed into his lungs through his nose then exited through his mouth. Each of the following breaths became more controlled allowing his body to feel relaxed. Using his arm Ezra sat himself on his folded legs putting him into the meditative stance he had been in so many times before. In his head he could almost hear Kanan's voice repeating the Jedi motto regarding the Force.

Guilt came with Kanan's image breaking his concentration. The Jedi had no idea about his rescue or the fact that two masters from the old Jedi Order were alive. They should know where he is, that he's alive. He couldn't imagine what it would be like knowing that one of them was dead. If Kanan died, then Ezra would lose part of himself as well.

What about Hera, Zeb, or Sabine? Obviously, he hoped that they would get over his disappearance, but that was naïve in every way. Life wouldn't go on for him if one of them had died in front of him or close enough to feel that way. Hera, and Zeb would be life stopping without a doubt…but Sabine would bring his world crashing down.

Ezra tried to force the thought out of his head, yet it stayed put. The image of Sabine in her purple armor laying lifeless in his arms was plastered on his eyes. He imagined trying to wake her up, yelling her name though he knew it was futile. He pictured placing his hand on her cheek or brushing her soft hair from face eyes only to be greeted by a pair of lightless brown eyes. Ezra could almost feel her cold skin underneath the pads of his fingers. Finally, the thought became so repulsive he compelled himself to throw the imagery into the Force.

Closing his eyes tightly he began to repeat Kanan's motto a second time. The words flowed repetitively in his mind until he no longer felt his physical form. Ezra the weight of his limbs fade away, the few sounds in his room following as well until there was nothing except for the Force. It was similar to falling asleep in the sense that it was quick, painless, and completely unnoticeable.

Using his mind's eye Ezra could see vague outlines of beings that were in his immediate range, Silhouettes of small creatures running around in the forest behind him were the first things he noticed. They must have been rodents judging by their movements and small stature. He smiled at their innocent actions, running around playing with one another. It was refreshing to take himself out of his problems for just a minute to play witness to nature.

Tearing himself away from the rodents Ezra focused elsewhere. Kanan had always told him that trained Jedi would be able to sense not only the people, but their surroundings. For him though, he could only recognize the presences of those he was close to, otherwise everyone looked the same through the Force.

Ezra honed in on several people, two of whom he recognized. Not so far away from his bed he sensed his two rescuers both of whom seemed to be just waking. The Heiress seemed much more alert than the Farmer whose presence wasn't nearly as lively. She felt like she had been awake for at least a few minutes, and was now meditating like he was. Curiosity took hold of him, he tried to stretch out to her through the Force.

 _"Heiress, can you hear me?"_

Strangely, he felt like she had smiled, " _good morning Ezra. How are you feeling today?"_

 _"I feel much better"_ He felt astonished that he had been able to connect to her so easily. Her connection to the Force was so incredibly strong that it dwarfed his own. Normally, it took time to form a connection strong enough to talk to someone telepathically, at least that's how it was with Kanan. That master-padawan connection they had took more than a year, and even then they had their limits. To be able to skip that phase must take extreme natural abilities. Abilities he wanted to explore.

" _How are you today?"_ he asked after recovering from being in awe over her gift.

" _I suppose I'm alright. We've been spending the past couple days wondering how you've been. Knowing you're awake it quite a relief"._

 _"Days?"_ His voice came across with some sense of disbelief. " _How many days have I been in tank Heiress?"_

 _"Only four. There have been some cases where one of us had to be in there for more than a week. Some people heal slower than others, while the opposite can be true as well. Don't worry though, the Pilot, and the Queen have taken the best care of you"._

" _Yes, Master Anakin seems to have made sure I would be healed as soon as I could be. There's no way that I can fully repay you all, but by joining you then I hope to at least make a difference"_.

Surprise. He could feel surprise ring through the Force around him as he finished his last words. Her voice left no doubt about her surprise or about her joy, " _He told you his name! That's – that's wonderful. By telling you his name it's the ultimate sign of trust in you. In that case there are a couple things you should be told then, the first is that –"_

A knock on Ezra's door broke his concentration, instantly snapping the connection he had with the Heiress. He frowned at the tension left between them, it couldn't be helped though unfortunately. Their conversation had to wait as another knock at the door came. With a sigh he called out to whoever it was, "come in".

The brown wooden door opened slowly revealing a second elderly man carrying a tray of breakfast. He wore similar garb to Anakin, except this time they were light tan with a brown cloak around his shoulders. However, like the first Jedi who came to see him this one wore a wide smile that could be seen underneath his gray-orange beard.

"Hello there" he greeted warmly. The man set the tray down on the bed by his feet. A quick glance at the tray in front of him made his stomach growl; it had two different bowls of fruit, a plate of some sort of meat, and some toasted bread. It smelt divine. "You may eat if you so wish, I'm sure you've worked up an appetite during your healing".

Ezra reached for the fork on the side of the tray then sliced a piece of meat then gladly ate it. Whoever made it was truly a special cook. He spared a quick glance towards his new visitor before spearing one of the red pieces of fruit on his tray. Swallowing the sweet berry he spoke to the man seated at his right, "thank you for breakfast. It's absolutely fantastic I have to say".

"Yes well, my former padawan's wife does have plenty of skill in many areas. I cannot take credit for the things she has done. Just be glad that she decided to cook this morning rather than Anakin" he said with a poorly hidden smile.

"Something tells me there is merit to your claim Master" Ezra said with a lightness to his voice. He took another bite of the red berries then put the fork down, "you must be the Diplomat".

"Ah, the wonderful codename given to me by Anakin. At one point I was known as a 'Negotiator' during the Clone Wars, that's probably where he got the idea from. The name I'd rather go by is Obi-Wan Kenobi. It's a pleasure to meet you Ezra Bridger".

"Likewise Master" he said extending his hand which the Jedi master took graciously. Unlike Anakin, this man had an aura of calm surrounding him. Few emotions were associated with him, or maybe Ezra just couldn't sense it very well. The only thing he could feel was intrigue, but that wasn't surprising as he felt it as well.

Obi-Wan leaned back stroking his beard as he did so. Anyone with experience in interrogation knew that a series of questions would be coming their way when someone did that. "I've heard about your heroic deeds on Lothal, not only the TIE Defender, but the actions to hinder the Empire. It's something to be proud of".

Ezra shrugged his shoulders in response to the compliment. To him, killing was not really something to be proud of, no matter the reasons behind the action. Some nights, he thought about the consequences of those actions. How many more families were there like the Stormtrooper commander who nearly broke his face? There must be dozens who had waited for their husband, brother, or…father to come back to them, they could still be waiting if the news hadn't yet come. "I did what I had to" he told Obi-Wan. It was a straight answer with nothing else to it.

Scratching his beard again the man looked thoughtful, like he was digesting Ezra's response. He cleared his throat then spoke, "I have no doubts about that. Seeing people you've known your whole life be harmed daily by the Empire would cause a man to act accordingly I suppose".

"I took no pleasure in harming others Master Kenobi" Ezra pointed out, his eyes staring at his hand that had been playing with the blanket underneath him. He shook his head to nothing in particular, "I just wanted to protect my people, they were innocent. Someone had to do something to help them out. Before Kanan found me I had been stealing from the Empire, after that though I did my best to fight for what is right. We only attacked those who were attacking first, or to protect the Alliance".

"Understandable by all accounts" he said still scratching his chin. "I'm glad you brought up your Master however. Anakin told me that we've lost his whereabouts, I'm sure we'll find him soon".

Ezra nodded in understanding, "thank you Master Kenobi. He's the closest thing I have to a father. I want him to be here with us, to train with both you and Master Anakin. With more members, even if it's only one, then we can stand a better chance against the Sith".

A stern expression came over Obi-Wan's face overtaking his cheerful attitude from before. The elder man leaned forward before standing up and placing his hands in his sleeves. "Why don't you put on a fresh change of clothes after a shower then come out into the living room to meet the others? Later on a talk with Anakin is needed just as a fair warning. Nothing to worry about, but it's something to keep in mind. I will meet you out there". The Jedi Master then left the room without another word, closing the door behind him.

Sighing, Ezra looked down at his breakfast taking several more bites of food to fill his increasingly empty stomach. Something seemed off about that interview by Master Kenobi, it seemed like the Jedi was disappointed by what he heard. Ezra couldn't begin to know why he got that feeling, he just couldn't shake it though. Everything he said had to have been fine, it's not like he was a cold blooded murderer or anything. For now, it would have to be left where it was until more information was given to him.

Using the Force, Ezra lifted the tray of food from his bed to the chair. Careful not to strain his muscles too much he swung his legs over the mattress then onto the cold tile. Shivers chilled the bottoms of his feet that trickled up to his arms resulting in goosebumps. A warm, hot shower that had been suggested sounded incredible right now. Hastily, Ezra made his bed, plucked another piece of bread with some meat on it, then looked for the door to the refresher.

The moment he saw the only other door in the room Ezra whipped it open then hopped inside. It was a much nicer refresher than the one he was used to on the _Ghost_. For one, the shower was taller and secondly, there was a sink with a clean mirror above it. Beneath the bowl of that sink was a white tunic, white trousers, as well as a set of slip on shoes. Ezra could barely believe the generosity of these kind people.

Quickly undressing, he turned on the hot water from the shower until steam came pouring out slightly slower than the water. He took a deep breath of steamy air preceding the removal of his undershorts. Sorrow washed over him while he removed his undershirt with difficulty because of the loss of his left forearm. Ezra looked in the mirror at the stump with distaste; it was a for the greater good he just had to think of that. Anakin told him that a replacement would be made within days, and though it wouldn't be flesh it would do the job.

Hot water massaged his skin once he stepped into the shower with caution. After having a near death experience alongside grave injuries this was exactly what he needed. Each droplet of water seemed to take bits of his worry. Meditation could do a lot, but showers worked magic of their own. He placed his head against the wall of the shower losing himself in thought.

He allowed himself to think about his friends again this time pleasantly. They deserved so much more than they were getting right now. Every one of them should be living in their respective paradises in worlds that cherish them. If he could give that to them he would do so in a heartbeat. As naïve as it was, Ezra just wished that the Empire wasn't there to stop his fantasy from happening.

Did the others think about him? Another crazy thing to ponder, but he thought so anyway. Maybe they were just moving on without him, just another casualty of the war. They spent years together, but deaths were part of life in conflicts. Time would come to grieve once the body count had finally stopped rising whenever that could be. Ezra prayed that they would be there to see that day.

With reluctant hands Ezra turned off the shower, dried himself off, then gladly placed on the new clothes that had been left for him. Each part of the outfit was a perfect fit, how they knew he couldn't begin to guess. At least now he could thank them all properly over a morning meeting where they would all be, hopefully. Making sure that it was all secure, Ezra lifted the tray with his good hand then made his way out of the bedroom for the first time.

His feet took him down a large arched hallway with three windows per side. Wooden planks made up the hallway giving it a very rustic feeling. Outside the window he could see that the sun had begun its journey towards the sky, the rays it gave off lit up the crisp green grass that surrounded the house. No trees encompassed the house, although he could swear he saw a body of water near the drop off of the hill they were on. Further into the distance smoke rose from a cluster of simple houses that must make up a town. It was something he had to explore once he got the chance.

Voices could be heard from close by. Nearing the end of the hall Ezra poked his head out into the open room where several brown couches circled around a holoprojector that was showing a news station. Three other halls similar to the one he was in branched off from the right of this main room, and another room was connected by a wooden arch that had been decorated with plenty of figures that he wasn't familiar with. Taking the opportunity, he walked into the latter room where he heard the voices coming from.

Immediately, he was greeted by a dining table where five people sat waiting for him. The room's look didn't change from what he assumed was the living room, but there was a good atmosphere that came with this one. Each of the people were smiling as they spoke to one another over a breakfast similar to his own. The sight was so foreign to him, he had never seen something like this despite it being what he thought a family breakfast would look like. Ezra would never have seen this back on Yavin IV or anywhere else he had been for that matter.

The woman who sat at one of the heads of the table looked over to him from the young man to her right. Her expression didn't change at all from when she spoke to her family then to him, "good morning Ezra! Please have a seat next to Luke and we can all get introduced to one another. Properly this time". Following her instructions, he took a seat next to a dirty blond-haired kid who must have been about his own age. The kid gave him a smile in greeting, but turned back to the elder woman before she picked up where she left off, "my name is Padme Skywalker, and I'd like to properly welcome you to our home. I'm not sure what you were expecting, but hopefully this is all to your liking".

Ezra was taken slightly aback, "Master Skywalker I don't think I would have anything to dislike here. You've all been more welcoming than I could have ever imagined, more welcoming than anyone I've ever met in my life. I thank you for all that you've done for me".

Padme laughed confusing her new guest, "I'm no Jedi, that's left to my husband, children, and Obi-Wan, I appreciate the sentiment though. Please just came me Padme though, I don't much care for formality. As for the treatment you needn't worry about a thing Ezra, we wouldn't have done it if we didn't want to help you out".

Talk about a good first impression. If there were more people like these then the Galaxy's problems would be cured. He found his voice after finishing his thought, "I'm in your debt Padme". The woman he addressed then turned her head to the boy – even though he was close in age to Ezra - sitting next to him who took the unspoken suggestion well.

The kid held out his callous hand which Ezra shook happily, "my name is Luke. The whole Farmer codename is only used for missions due to the environment we're in. It's a pleasure to meet you face to face rather than the mask. I'm grateful for you choosing to help us out, we need you more than you know".

"I'm not sure if that's entirely true" Ezra replied back. Now that he got a better look at Luke he saw the similarities between him and his father. The pair had the same blue eyes, Luke had a lighter shade of hair that would probably darken with age, and they both shared the same polite expression. "However, it's the least I could do for you all. It'll also be nice to be training with someone my own age".

" _Someones_ actually" Anakin said from Ezra's left. The new Jedi remembered that he had been almost forgetting about the Heiress. His eyes shifted from Anakin to the last figure who was sitting straight across from him and next to Master Kenobi.

Her resemblance to Padme was just as uncanny as the one between Luke and Anakin. She had long brown hair that had been pulled back into a bun with the exception of two curls down the sides of her face. Hazel eyes were highlighted as she grinned toward the new addition to the small Jedi clan. She held her hand out in a manner that was identical with Luke, and Ezra's shake was met firmly with a soft hand. "My name is Leia Skywalker, it's a pleasure to have you here with us".

"Likewise" he said pulling his hand back. Ezra couldn't help but sneak glances at the girl across the table from him. He was not expecting someone so young to have the skill set she possessed. Unlike everyone he knew, her actions seemed to have a certain grace with them, as if she was at a dinner party when it was really breakfast. He also couldn't deny that those glances became longer each time, and with it came a sense of wrong. Why did Sabine start to come to mind, then force him to eat without any more looks?

"If you'd like Ezra, I'd be happy to show you around Baatu after breakfast. Getting out of the house would be beneficial today. A tour could give you an idea of what and who we deal with out here in the very Outter Rim" Luke said generously.

"Absolutely" Ezra replied back. "That sounds great to me". He couldn't help wondering where his guilt came from or why it stayed with him throughout breakfast. It wasn't easy trying to hide the fact that he was distracted, but he hoped that nobody else would notice. Maybe the walk with Luke, and Luke alone would help rid him of that.


	10. Chapter 10

**Normally, I don't write a whole lot of author's notes, but to address the concerns regarding Ezra and Sabine just know that I came wanted to write a story with both of them coming together…eventually. Tension always makes the end product much better in my opinion so have no fear! Think of it like a sunrise, it'll happen eventually. Thank you for caring though! I do truly appreciate it.**

Rain came that morning, and lots of it. She had heard the first few droplets come down on the metal roof of the _Ghost_ in the early hours of dawn. The past couple days have been next to or completely sleepless for Sabine. Closing her eyes to rest only brought her more ache, because the dreams that came haunted her when she awoke. They weren't bad by any stretch of the imagination, and that was why sleep was being avoided at all costs.

The first one she had by the stream was haunting in every way. On the way back to her room with Kanan she anguished over what could never be. There wouldn't be a time to spend with all of those people in one place, and letting those thoughts linger was extremely painful. Similar dreams occurred where the war had ended, she would be back on Mandalore with her family and Ezra would show up to lend a hand. Another time it was the decisive battle to end the war and she'd be fighting side by side with Hera cleaning up the last pockets of resistance before enjoying a feast.

Sabine pressed her palms into her eyes until assortments of colors could be seen on her eyelids. These thoughts would not leave her alone, not that she wasn't going to think about them anyway. Today was the day for Ezra's service, and she knew that today was going to be much worse than any of the others that had passed so far. Nothing could really prepare her for what she was going to feel, so she never bothered to address any of them or anything else. Over the course of five days Sabine had lost the will to do anything.

Grief is a powerful hinderance to anything. Her paints remained untouched, all explosive material had been sitting in a box, and her armor sat in a pile by the sliding door. It was completely irrational of her to curl up in her bed staring at the door, yet that's exactly what she had been doing. Sabine knew that she was strong, knew that nothing in the world could stop her drive as a warrior and person, except for the death of someone so close.

The same black shirt that had been in her grasp near the stream was now on her body, her fingers still feeling the soft fabric. At first, she felt hesitant about wearing it knowing that the scent would dissipate, later she didn't care at all. In her mind it was a way to keep him close, memories and all. How far she had come from being the gung-ho soldier to a broken mess.

Sabine rolled over in her room, darkness concealing her from the light of the harsh world outside. Fighting the urge to resist she glanced at the clock on her wrist, she groaned at the time. It had just turned five in the morning, which meant that the service was in an hour. That was too soon, too quick for her. Knowing that final goodbyes had to be made gave her anxiety. It was too soon, much too soon.

Nobody would be there, that was why it was going to be so early in the morning after all. There would be no prying eyes, no outside voices wishing them meaningless apologies for what happened to their friend. She wouldn't be able to stand anything like that. The Rebellion wouldn't have to say anything to them, but she knew that she had to speak at some point – the idea of such a thing was terrifying.

Self-expression through words was never her strong suit, that was where painting had come in. Sabine would much rather keep her thoughts to herself and show what she felt through actions. However, this couldn't be one of those times since there was absolutely nothing to show. Ezra wouldn't see what she was doing, he wouldn't hear any of the words that they would all say for him so why did it matter? Funerals were ridiculous, the deceased didn't need or want that sort of gathering; they were only for the grieving to come together to sort through whatever emotions they were feeling. That she could do on her own.

When she died there would be no funeral at all, that she would be sure of. Nobody would come to gather only to sob over the life she had lived, Sabine wouldn't want that. Her parents, friends, kids, they'd all know the type of person she was. _Where did that last thought come from?_

Rather than focus her attention on what having kids would entail she decided to sit up on her bed for the first time that morning. The blankets fell down to her legs exposing her skin to the chilled air around her. The cold was ignored when Sabine stood up without stretching and without fanfare. Sabine stood motionless while she tried to think of something to do: she could shower, eat, or drink, none of which sounded appetizing. There was nothing do to for the next forty minutes or so until the group gathered. The only problem was she didn't feel like being alone with her thoughts, that could bring her to a dark place.

Deciding that the room could only make her feel worse, Sabine walked out into the hallway. More clothing may have helped her stay warm in the cold air that blanketed the _Ghost_ 's hull, except she didn't care too much about that. The black shirt that had been in her possession for the past four days would not go anywhere. It still had her dead friend's scent on it, and she hoped that would never fade. Her athletic shorts weren't much better at covering her skin though they were comfortable, that was all that mattered for now. Cold metal supported her body as she strode through towards the kitchen in look of something strong.

To her surprise she saw that Hera had beaten her to it. Her friend and pilot sat on the floor, her back supported by the wall. Normally she wore her flight suit at all hours of the day, so when Sabine saw her in a white thank top and baggy brown pants she was somewhat surprised. Hera hadn't seen her yet, and she wanted to keep it that way. The two women had very little interaction since the pilot had left Ezra to die. Hera's reasoning for doing so may be sound, however Sabine didn't care at all; you don't leave a family member behind. Furthermore, Sabine hadn't forgiven her.

Liquid made a distinct sound when it was being moved around in a glass bottle, and it had a unique smell. Sabine inhaled then tried to snuff out the cough that had come as a result. The kitchen reeked of strong alcohol that had too had been piling up for days. Since she stuck herself in her room Sabine must have missed out on plenty of things, one of which had to be a drinking fest. It made her scowl thinking of them all binge drinking, sharing memories of Ezra. He should be here with them to do such things.

Sabine backed slowly out of the doorway not wanting to be seen. She wasn't ready to confront Hera right now, and she didn't know when she would be. Whether or not she was ready to face the pilot was irrelevant as Hera wiped extra booze off her lips then spotted Sabine. The twi'lek's eyes lingered on the Mandalorian prior to taking another swig from her bottle.

"I was wondering when you'd come out of your room" Hera said after swallowing her latest gulp. Sabine didn't respond to the comment, choosing instead to stare at the sorry sight in front of her. Hera's eyes inspected the label of her bottle when she spoke again, "nobody else has been around much either. Who would want to be around the one responsible for killing Ezra?"

"If you're looking for sympathy you won't get it from me" Sabine replied strongly still snarling at the older woman. "You left him when we could have gone to find him. We've never left anyone behind before that day. Would you have left Kanan behind?"

Hera's green eyes slowly looked back at the Mandalorian who now had her arms crossed over her chest. Sabine could see the woman's mind beginning to think over answers that would normally remain in her head, however the booze had limited her filter, "even if I say yes you'll still have your doubts so there's no point in answering you. Not like that matters much anyway, Kanan hasn't spoken to me outside of meetings since we came back here. You two are allied on that front I can assure you that".

"There are no _allies_ Hera. You were wrong to do what you did, it's unforgivable. He thought of you like a mother, and like a mother you should have ignored his request to do what was right. You've done it many times on nearly every mission, this one just had to be different". Sabine bore into Hera, making her feelings out in the open for anyone to hear. Finding a release for these pent-up feelings felt better than keeping them in, but it also made her realize things she never thought about before.

Sniffling was Sabine's first indication that Hera had begun to cry. Hera's lekku swayed over her shoulders as her head fell forward into her hands. She was so strong everyday of her life, it was unnerving to see her break. "He could have been dead anyway, and then what would we have done? The _Ghost_ was on its last life with one shot probably killing us all. If I am the mother-figure then it wouldn't make sense to kill of the rest of my kin would it, Sabine? You don't know what you're talking about".

"What did you say?" she asked with her head tilting to the side. Sabine walked calmly forward into the room, bare feet making small thuds against the floor. Her eyes squinted when Hera was within arm's length. "What did you say, Hera?"

Taking another swig she spoke, "You don't know what you're talking about. If this is how you deal with your feelings then you really don't know what you're doing".

Sabine took the bottle right out of Hera's grasp throwing it against the wall. Glass fell to the ground in a chorus of high pitched cried. Her pilot looked at her void of expression, like she had expected this to happen. Sabine was boiling with anger over the accusation made by someone who could barely express herself. "how dare you! Don't you understand the contradictions between you and such a statement? How many times have you told Kanan about your love openly, or have you kept putting it off until the war is over – something that has been proven by Ezra?"

Laugher came quietly, then progressively louder. Hera wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand, flashing Sabine a patronizing look that made her fury increase exponentially. "At least he knows".

Before she struck Hera, Sabine turned on her heel to leave the room. Her anger could have been palpable to anyone who walked by. The glare, her fingers contorting into fists, her quick pace, were warning signs to the rest of the crew and the Rebellion. Her bed wasn't going to be able to contain the outburst when it came thus she decided to make her way outside.

 **(Across the Stars – John Williams)**

The ramp of the _Ghost_ opened down to reveal the dimly lit forested world of Yavin IV. Sunlight shone through the leaves, and around the massive temple that held the Rebel base. Rain still came down with no end in sight. Sabine's breathing still came rapid, but gradually reduced as her brain began to work over what Hera had said to her. Her feet brought her over to the closest tree where she sat down on the cold, wet grass; unconsciously sitting down under its protection.

Sabine hugged her legs for warmth at the same time her mind absorbed Hera's harsh words. At least Kanan knew how Hera felt, it's what she had been insinuating. The pilot and the Jedi may not have openly told their feelings for one another, but they were there, they both knew about it even though much was left unsaid. Why would she say that though? Sabine didn't love Ezra romantically, and he didn't love her anymore. That was a teenage crush he had grown out of just as soon as he had grown into it. Part of her, small though present, missed the meaningless attempts at flirting. No man had tried to pull anything like that, and it was kind of cute.

There was still nothing to say to one another regarding love. Neither even had the chance to foster that sort of relationship, too much had to be done. Warriors didn't focus on distractions like that, it'd get you killed. Worrying about a man or woman during a firefight could undoubtedly take one's attention away from important matters in front of them. War left no room for matters of the heart.

Shivers ravaged her body due to the continuous raindrops pounding her body. The funny thing was, she wanted it, she wanted to feel cold, she wanted to feel anything other than sad. Cold skin is better than a broken future in every way. At least with her body temperature dropping, and the symptoms that came with it she wasn't mentally able to focus solely on the loss of Ezra. It wasn't going to be long until his service, and until that time she desperately needed a distraction.

Life had other plans for her, "Sabine, are you ready?" Zeb called to her from the shelter of the _Ghost'_ s hull. Obviously, the answer is no, but she kept that to herself. Her golden-brown eyes changed their focus from the ground to the Losat, his expression looked sympathetic to her. She was very grateful for his discretion about her situation, so any other snide remarks were kept to herself. A simple nod was all he got, and she stood up ready to face what she had been ignoring all morning.

Zeb moved over to her with heavy feet. He looked over her face, pity in his gaze. Sabine purposefully avoided his eyes, because she knew that if she found them then her last wall of stability would crumble. A purple arm came into view holding an orange jacket, _his_ orange jacket. Zeb's voice narrated her assumptions as she looked at it, "he must have left it before he went to take the TIE. Found it behind the bunk, figure it's yours now".

Sabine's fingers touched the protective outside material before she clung to it. Closing her eyes, she slipped on the jacket finding that it fit pretty well. Warmth radiated off of the hot inside layer onto her chilled skin, and for the first time in several days the faintest resemblance of a smile came to her lips.

"Thanks" was all she could mutter to her friend.

"He'd want you to have it, now let's go talk to him" he responded. Zeb began to walk in front of her, guiding her towards the spot had been apparently agreed upon. They moved into the woods past large branches, an overturned tree, and down a path that had obviously been used plenty of times. Forest critters made distinct sounds giving the rain a background band to make its music with. The forest created an incredibly attractive environment that could play background to any of the mind's fantasies. However, that was nothing compared to the clearing they walked into.

Trees gave way to an open field filled with dying wildflowers that would look breathtaking in Spring. A single log lay at the end of the dirt path with an erected grave marker behind it, and behind that snaked the same stream she stared at after arriving on the planet. There was no better place to be than here at this moment despite the circumstances.

She walked closer to the headstone until the words on the stone appeared, to her surprise she never looked away from them. The words on the stone didn't bring any other feelings that weren't already present in her mind. Luckily for her, crying could very easily be camouflaged in the rain. Kneeling in the mud Sabine traced the words with her thumb

 _Here marks the life of Ezra Bridger_

 _A son, a friend, a family member, a hero_

 _Taken too soon_

"Short, but appropriate I thought" Kanan's voice said to her from behind.

She tightened the coat around her body then spoke back, "it's perfect. Too many words would ruin this, but this will work". Sabine stood tall, Zeb and Kanan on her flanks. Hera couldn't be seen, but the Mandalorian was sure she'd be around somewhere she couldn't be seen. That was probably for the best as at least two of the crew didn't really want her around.

"I'll do it" the Jedi said to the unspoken question they all had. He choked back his emotions, "I'm no master orator, but this is a cause worth the effort. We've come here today to erect this monument in honor of our friend, comrade, and brother Ezra Bridger. He's been taken from us…too soon, but he will forever live on in our memories as the boy who joined us from Lothal to the young man whose heroic sacrifice allowed us all to live on. One day we'll meet again soon, I know it".

"Rest easy kid" Zeb added after, "you deserve that at the very least. I hope you find your parents wherever they may be".

"Sabine, do you want to add anything?" Kanan asked her.

She didn't want to, every God of Mandalore knew that she wanted nothing more than to keep her mouth shut. Ezra didn't deserve silence though, he deserved more than that. Disrespecting his memory by keeping quiet was going to haunt her worst nightmares every day so she spoke with rain coming from her own eyes just like the tears from the clouds, "one day we'll meet again. Maybe that day comes soon, maybe it doesn't. One day it will come though and when it does things will be different, we'll be different. And I can't wait for that day".


	11. Chapter 11

**So many author's notes lately, but I think they're necessary. First, thank you all for the kind words and support. I never ask for comments or likes since that's not up to me to decide, if someone feels the need to do so then they can if they'd like to. Asking for them isn't my gig, but it definitely makes me feel good about writing so thank you all. Secondly, for the whole Ezra/Sabine/Leia thing just know that the Skywalker family may be have my favorite characters in the whole series and I would never take away the possibility for the twins, Ben Solo, or Rey (I think she's a Skywalker, but that's neither here nor there). However, not all couples marry their first girlfriend or boyfriend. I like creating tensions between romantic couples as I find that wicked interesting and captivating. So, in conclusion, if there is ever anything between Leia and Ezra know that it couldn't be permanent in my mind since Leia has to be with Han just like Ezra has to be with Sabine, it's how that whole universe works. I know that many just want it to be Sabine and Ezra, but that makes things too predictable for me even though it** ** _will_** **happen – I'm not trying to piss anyone off, just how I saw things when I began! I'm still writing this off the cuff using basic notes for a basis too so nothing's set in stone except for how couples end up. Wicked long author's note, but I enjoy talking to you all about it anyway. Hope you all had a good weekend!**

"Ready to head back Ezra?" Luke asked him after wiping his mouth with the napkin he had been given with his lunch.

"I don't know if I ever will be" he replied honestly, "this place is such a contrast from what I've seen. Every person we've passed is carefree, and happy about their life. I've never seen anything like it anywhere I've been. From being here you really can't tell that there's a war going on".

Luke sighed while he leaned back in the metal seat. Ezra could see the Jedi's blue eyes search the storefront to his left, then the people walking by on the street. The older Skywalker twin focused on several different people that shopped at the stores across the road, others who bought sandwiches similar to theirs, as well as a couple who seemed to be taking their children out for a walk. Ezra couldn't tell what exactly Luke was looking for, only that he had something in mind, and would bring it up when he felt ready.

"They don't even know it's going on. It's blissful ignorance as Leia likes to tell our family" he began still eyeing those folk going about their daily routine. "Every so often you hear one or two of them mention it in a brief conversation, but never anything serious. These people are too far removed from the war; out here has been left unimpacted by the Empire so you really can't fault them too much for it. I think that's why my parents brought me out here, so we would know what life had been like before the Civil War and before the Clone War".

"I think you're lucky in that sense Luke" Ezra told him, finally bringing Skywalker's attention back to himself. "I mean, growing up knowing what to fight for, what the end result could be, it's a powerful motivator for any soldier. If anyone in the Rebellion was able to see this then they would have to be driven enough to want nothing less than complete surrender of the Empire".

"That's what I want" Luke said. They were four very simple words, but no words had ever been said with more determination or honesty. Luke may look like a kid on the outside, yet on the inside he had the heart of a hero. He knew what he had to do, and had a sense of duty unmatched by anyone outside of Phoenix Squadron. If this kid joined the Alliance then it would take no time for him to be an icon.

"I have no doubts" Ezra said with a bright smile, "you should think about being a public speaker, definitely seems like you have that natural ability I must say". Standing up along with his new friend, Ezra gathered the remains of his sandwich and soup along with the trash tossing them into the garbage bin near their coated metal table. Once the Skywalker boy followed suit they began walking back towards the way they came. A quick look above told Ezra that the sun had nearly reached its height in the sky.

A quick laugh from Luke took his attention away from the weather and back towards the conversation, "I'm not much of a speaker, at least in public. My mother used to be a Senator in the Republic, and from what my father says she was a pretty good one. That gene missed me then went to my sister in spades. She might be able to persuade the Emperor himself to leave his post to join the Rebellion. Well, if he wasn't a Sith of course".

Ezra stopped midstride in the middle of the cobblestone street. Nobody seemed to pay him much mind however, choosing instead to go about their days. He stood slightly stunned at what the Jedi before him had just told him, "the Emperor is a _Sith_?"

Luke turned around to see his friend's mouth nearly agape, "I hardly believed it myself until my father explained it. It isn't really my story to tell you, if you want to ask then you can, but it's a sore subject with him. I think he's planning on telling you eventually, but for now my recommendation would be to wait".

"Noted" Ezra said walking a couple steps to catch up. The pair strode on in silence enjoying the looks around them, the high mountain peaks, the tan domed boxy buildings on both sides of them, as well as the extremely tall evergreen trees that blanketed the environment around them. Combining that with all of the bustling of beings around them it formed a pleasant atmosphere.

Just as they were about to take a left turn to head back to the Skywalker ranch Luke held out a hand to his friend. Thinking that something may be wrong Ezra tried to reach for his lightsaber only to find that it wasn't there. He turned to look at the other Jedi, "what's wrong?"

"I almost forgot". Pulling his hand out of his brown trousers he held out several pieces of square gold, "mother told me to take you shopping. You need some clothing of your own rather than using the same outfit all the time. She also told me that if you argue or refuse then it's up to me to make sure you have several new things to wear".

"I can't let you do that, that's far too much! You can spend that money in so many other –" he tried to protest, but once again fell silent at Luke's outstretched hand.

"Between my father's mechanics shop and my mother's own academy we're well off. Wealth doesn't do any good pooling up in one's bank account, it's better off being spent to help local businesses" seeing Ezra's expression go from surprise to skeptical he shrugged his shoulders, "basic economics class. If it makes you feel any better I do have my own reasons for wanting to go to that store" he said pointing to the last shop on the road.

Shrugging his shoulders, Ezra followed closely keeping an eye out for anything interesting. Besides a flock of birds that took to the skies there wasn't much noteworthy to see, and he had to admit to himself that it's a pleasant change from expecting baster fire. The storefront they stepped up to had a simple stucco façade and two large windows that displayed clothes on sale. Ezra looked at the robes in on display with skepticism since they weren't anything he had really seen before.

Luke didn't wait around to look, choosing instead to move inside the shop. Ezra followed suit and let his eyes wander around the shop finding a couple things that he rather liked. The place was rather small, having only the typical men's, women's, and a kid's section as well, but with limited selections for each. The place had a friendly atmosphere full of small town vibes he found endearing.

"Well well, hello Skywalker" a voice came from behind the counter maybe twenty feet away from the front door. Ezra looked over to see a girl around their age leaning forward on the wooden slab that held the cash register. Long flowing auburn hair came down to her shoulders, porcelain skin contrasted the color of the wood of the counter top and the stucco structure of the walls, but most striking were eyes green like the tips of the trees that surrounded the town. "Fancy seeing you here. If I didn't know any better then I'd say you stop by so often just to see me".

Adding to Ezra's slight confusion he saw Luke's cheeks turn a very light shade of pink. His eyes changed focus from Luke to the girl until he remembered that Luke had 'come here for a reason'. Now he understood, and decided to let the scene play out.

"Mara" Luke said with a nod to the casual looking teenager attending the shop. "You know that I always enjoy seeing you, but this time I'm here for my new friend, Ezra Bridger".

The bright green eyes turned to Ezra and he could see Mara study his every detail. He couldn't help but feel like a piece of meat being eyed before a nice dinner. "Pleased to meet you. Did Luke save your life too or did he make a friend the old-fashioned way for once?"

Shrugging his shoulders Ezra replied, "eh, he helped me out a couple days ago. Figured that hanging around with someone who saves the life of a stranger couldn't be the worst thing in the universe".

"How true" Mara replied. She shifted her weight from one arm to the other yet still continuing to act like there wasn't a care in the world. "Doesn't sound too different from me really. You see Ezra, when I had been born my family had been traveling between worlds in search of steady work. The Empire had captured my father's ship for some ridiculous reason, and were about to place us under arrest until Luke told his own father about our distress. The details are foggy, but Anakin dispatched the soldiers, brought us on board their ship, then took us away".

"So, Luke warned Anakin about your distress?" Ezra asked confused.

Mara raised an eyebrow toward Luke who sighed, "it's not that impressive".

"Ever the modest Skywalker" she said turning before turning back to Ezra. "The way my parents tell it, Luke – as a two-year-old by the way – put up a fit in the cockpit, pointing in the direction of where the Empire had detained us. Anakin trusted his infant son's instinct and found us. My family owes everything to them, they even set up this shop for us".

It didn't seem that surprising to Ezra really. These people had taken him from death's door with no information about him other than rumors. This family didn't expect anything out of their deeds, it was simply the right thing to do. After two days Ezra realized he trusted these people implicitly, and he knew there were more good things he had yet to learn.

"Okay" Luke said cutting in oozing embarrassment, "I'm sure there are plenty of stories you'd like to share Mara, but we've come here for some clothes. He needs something other than what he brought here since they're pretty much just rags".

"The usual then?" she asked finally pushing herself up into a standing position. A nod from Luke told her that they were on the same page. "Watch the storefront if you would" she said then went back behind a curtain disappearing from view.

Ezra only held a knowing smirk as Luke turned around to face him. Skywalker's blue eyes changed from their friendly expression into one of warning. It didn't take long for the kid from Lothal to realize that the Jedi had been trying to keep his crush on Mara a secret. His smile widened, but pretended to zip his mouth shut then throw away the key.

From their interaction it seemed pretty obvious that Mara knew about Luke's crush, at least to a degree. Her casual attitude, the way her eyes lingered on him, loyalty to his family, playing to his strengths and ego all seemed to add to his assumption. In fact, she may like him too. Ezra wasn't a true romantic guru, but he knew the signs when he saw them. After all, he'd seen them all the time with Kanan and Hera. Then his brows rose when he thought about where else he'd seen that on…

"Here we go" Mara said coming back with a small box that she placed on the table. Her fingers tapped on the wood while her voice ran through the items inside, "one white tunic, matching trousers, a white robe, white cloak, black undershirt, black boots, all times three". Satisfied at her work she slid the box over to Ezra. When he went to reach for it he remembered about his left arm then quickly tried to hide his embarrassment.

Mara's cocky grin shifted into a look of sympathy, "there's nothing to be ashamed of Ezra. Life gives us challenges that we must overcome, some of us earn the harder challenges because they are the toughest beings".

"Thank you" he replied. Her words had felt reassuring, and even calming. Fearing other's reaction to his handicap couldn't be more ridiculous; it didn't change him as a person in the slightest. If anything it told of his hardships in life that he'd been able to overcome. He flashed the girl a smile, one that she returned to the cash register.

"Alright Skywalker, as per usual the total comes to an even sixty". Luke sifted through his pockets before placing several of the same golden square pieces down, causing Mara's eyes to grow wide. "This is far too much, and you know it".

"Eh" he shrugged his shoulders, "think of it as either a labor fee or persuasion for the Jade family to stop by for another night of games. You'll probably need it if it turns out to be the later one, you haven't done too well in the last couple".

"Mark my words Skywalker, you will pay" she said pointing her finger in the Jedi's direction.

"I'm sure, see you soon Mara" Luke replied waving to his friend. He carried the box out the door, and Ezra followed close behind. The former Phoenix member trained his eyes on the gleeful expression of his companion who seemed blissfully unaware of his surroundings. Skywalker's body seemed on autopilot when they walked the rest of the main stone street to the dirt road that wound to their place of stay.

Once they reached the road and were a few steps into the woods it wound through Ezra spoke up, "she seems rather nice".

"She has her moments. Mara knows how to press your buttons to get you all worked up over nothing, she can be infuriating sometimes to boot. Yet, any time you need a friend to be there to support you she'll be there in a heartbeat".

Feeling curious Ezra had to ask, "does she know?"

"About us being Jedi?" Luke finished the unspoken question, "no, not yet anyway. Her parents know, but they asked us not to tell her about it".

"How come? I'd think they'd want her to know who her friends are".

"That's what I thought too, until my father told me she's Force sensitive as well. If Mara became trained in the ways of the Force then she'd become a target for everyone cross the galaxy. Mr. and Mrs. Jade only want to keep their child safe not that I can blame them".

It made all the sense in the world for parents to keep their child safe. He thought about what his parents would have done if they knew he was Force sensitive. They may have acted just the same as Mara's family, and that would be understandable. His mother and father probably had little knowledge of the mystical energy and its true power, they wouldn't have known how to deal with it. Had they known then it would come down to whether or not they'd want to protect him or if they'd want him to protect himself. Putting himself in their shoes, he couldn't decide what he'd do.

A branch snapped from behind them on the dirt road catching both Jedi's attention. Birds took off in flight off to find shelter among the woods, and other critters ran out of fear. Ezra watched the woods around them come to life as the creatures' galloped over the leaves away from the sound of the branch. The Force surged to his mind warning him of impending danger.

"Hide" Luke said before he could get the word out. The two frantically searched for cover from whatever came their way. Ezra's eyes zeroed in on a branch above them, tapping Luke's shoulder he pointed to their cover. Luke looked around them in search of a tree with a wide trunk to no avail. He gave Ezra a quick nod then used the Force to enhance his jump onto the think branch. Ezra closed his eyes, reached out into the abyss of the mystical power then embraced it resulting in him landing next to Luke.

The two watched, heart rate increasing when two silhouettes emerged from the part of the trail they just emerged from. Both silhouettes seemed to be around six-foot-tall, wearing red loose-fitting shirts, gray pants, and had pistols on their hips. Both teenagers grew wide eyed when the two came into view dragging a body bag behind them.

"Where do you want him?" the raven-haired woman on the right asked dropping the body onto the dirt path. She wiped her hands on her red shirt then turned to face her companion.

The other woman, a red twi'lek, looked off over into the woods near a boulder, "there. This is not a path used by many, just a family who lives near the end of the road. We should be in the clear for the time being".

The raven-haired woman pulled out a canteen from her back pocket then took a sip before passing it over to the twi'lek, "who's next on the list?"

"Tomorrow we hit the owner of the _Raven_. From what Menkyli told me they're pushing product out during weekends, if we want to change that then we're going to send a statement during their busiest hours".

"What about civilians?"

"Screw them. A few extra bodies couldn't hurt our reputation in my opinion. Don't go looking for a body count, but if the opportunity is there then we take it" the twi'lek replied fishing a shovel out of the body bag. The other woman seemed to get the message as she began to move the body bag over to their desired spot.

Luke spared Ezra a look, one he had seen plenty of times on the faces of his own crew. No translation was necessary for the universal look of taking action. Justice had to be brought to these cold-blooded killers. Ezra swallowed hard at that thought, the Empire were soldiers possessing some sort of rationale thought. Murderers had little to no regard for life, and that made them more dangerous than any other foe. Tomorrow night he was going to have to be extremely careful, and vigilant if they were going to save a life.


	12. Chapter 12

**I'll start adding in a bit of a timeline, that way everyone knows when each chapter takes place. The last chapter took place the same day Ezra woke up, just for reference. Also, a quick shout out to ODST Ezra for giving he some great ideas. Thank you all for reading, hope you continue to enjoy.**

 _Night, Five days after Ezra's crash._

Ezra and Luke ran the distance back to the Skywalker home. Afternoon turned to dusk, dusk then turned to night as the two murderers buried their body. The two criminals took plenty of time discussing their plan the following night. The two young Jedi did their best to memorize every aspect of the plan in order to capitalize on their good fortune. However, once the two finally left the boys leapt down from their branch then took off running up the dirt road.

They didn't speak to one another the entire journey, they just ran. The Force never bothered warning Ezra where the branches or rocks were as his strides were much too long for them to pose any tripping threat. It became the first instance that he really knew that he was scared. The Empire posed a threat, but they had logic unlike murderers. He didn't want to think about how much danger the Skywalkers could be in had they traveled up the road to the house.

Darkness from the eternal forest gave way to shades of light that poured out from Luke's home. Ezra could finally see the _Angel_ , several speeders in their personal end of the road, and the outline of the one-story elongated complex he had been living the past few days. Though he was safe he followed his friend and ran right up the cobblestone walkway then through the front door where they both collapsed to their knees.

Each boy huffed on the floor, their throats feeling thick from their sprint. Ezra sucked in air like he had been under water for minutes on end. Part of him felt like a coward over his actions, however most of him felt happy to just be back at the house.

"Boys?" Padme's voice called out from the living room. He heard the mother stand from her place on the sofa in the living room. She spoke to some one before emerging from the open archway that led into the living room. In a moment she came to their side once she had seen them huffing on the ground. She turned to her son and placed a hand on his cheek, "Luke, what happened, what's wrong?"

When her son nor Ezra responded she took their hands and led them into the living room. A fire had been lit giving the room a cozy feel that was most welcome. His shoulders rose and fell quickly as air filtered in his body, but sitting by the fire to warm his chilled skin felt nice. Ezra lifted his arm towards the flames further normalizing his body temp along with a sense of relaxation. He had to remind himself that he's safe now, any danger is going to be turned away so long as he's at this place. Hot fingers fell to his side and his digits fell into the soft carpet moreover adding to the increasing sense of safety.

He looked over the hearth admirably, noting each brick that had been laid carefully. In stories told by elders he had heard about such romantic scenery, yet never seeing one until this moment. A crackling fire, and soft carpet could be an ideal place to rest alongside someone special. Knowing that the person next to him would have his back had to be an ideal fantasy he someday hoped to live out.

Clinking of glasses caused Ezra to turn away from the orange flame and bring his focus to the Skywalker matriarch who carried two glasses of water. She handed one to Luke who sat on the couch closest to the archway then handed him the other along with a bright, but concerned smile. Padme dodged the coffee table that stood in the middle of the carpet, taking a seat on the couch to the left of Luke, and himself. Ezra then noticed that she spared a glance to the third couch to his right, and then he finally noticed Master Kenobi sparing Luke a worried glance.

"Are you two alright?" Padme asked first of all in a tone completely similar to Hera's.

"Yes" Luke responded setting his glass on the coffee table. Ezra recognized the calming technique that the boy used to settle his nerves. Once he opened his blue eyes he looked towards his mother and offered a shy smile that seemed to be his signature expression, "we're both perfectly fine mother, just slightly frightened".

"Yeah, no kidding" Ezra voiced his agreement.

Anakin came into the room at a brisk pace not before his heavy footsteps gave away any chance of stealth he may have been hoping for, "I'm glad you both are safe". Ezra scrunched his face wondering how Anakin knew they were in any danger at all. It became further complicated once the Jedi spoke again, "did these two women say anything about their target or the person they buried in the woods?"

Padme's eyes widened, her eyes having a hard time focusing on Anakin or Luke, "what happened in the woods?"

Luke still continued to catch his breath so Ezra thought he should speak instead, "on our way back from town we felt a warning in the Force. Luke and I hid ourselves in the trees right before two women, a red twi'lek and a human, dragged a body into the path. They spoke about killing this man until they changed topics, focusing on 'finishing the job' the next night at the _Raven_. They said that they work with a man named Menkyli, and something about pushing product".

"Did these two happen to say what they wanted to do at the _Raven_?"

"Yes Master Kenobi, they plan to kill the owner as well as any civilians who get in the way. It sounded like they planned on murdering this man, because he moves some sort of product on the weekends that interferes with their own agenda" Ezra replied.

"Sounds like spice dealers to me" Anakin concluded.

"I agree" Obi-Wan replied, "the amount of drug related crimes has risen in the past several months as we've noticed. We can only assume that this is further escalation of their activities, and if we don't intervene soon then this could very easily get out of hand".

"If it hasn't already" Anakin added as he stroked his beard.

Padme looked at both Jedi raising her eyebrow before refocusing on the two teenage boys who had finally regulated their nerves. Ezra couldn't help but find comfort in her protectiveness especially for himself who may as well have walked into the house from the street. Her kind-hearted way about doing things gave her the appearance of a great protector who never could allow any risk coming to the ones she cared about most, also known as a mother.

The word made him think about the only other mother he had known for the last few years. He wondered how Hera had been holding up over the last few days, he hoped beyond all hope that the weight of her decision hadn't been carrying too much weight. He had told her to do it for the good of the crew at large, and she had to know that. Hera's uncanny ability to be the rock in every situation made him believe that she had to be alright. When he saw her next he would make absolutely sure that she felt well.

"Ezra, do you have a moment?" the Skywalker patriarch called to him. Ezra snapped out of his wonder at once, noticing that Luke, Padme, and Obi-Wan had all left the room. This time it was only him, Anakin, and the glow of the fire off of the living room's cream-colored walls.

"Of course, Master Skywalker" he replied getting to his feet. He stood with attention seeing that the man had done the same. The smirk on Anakin's lips however told him that something's off however, something he couldn't quite place.

"You don't have to call me that you know, I'm not your master. I don't really think anyone is anymore, we're all learning from each other" he began leading Ezra out of the living room and towards a hallway he had seen earlier that day. "There are things you can learn from my children, Obi-Wan, Padme, and me, but the title of 'master' doesn't really fit anywhere in there. I could probably call you 'Master Bridger' as there are a few things I want to learn from you".

Surprised didn't really surmise what he felt after hearing that. The young Jedi padawan followed Anakin further down the hall then past another door which opened into an enormous garage. All sorts of tools lined the shelves, wires and plenty of metal parts lay in the corners of the room, a speeder bike that could definitely use some work became the centerpiece, and finally two chairs had been pulled out from a stone workbench. Apparently, the latter was their destination since that's where Anakin had been walking to the whole time.

Ezra followed his lead and took the seat across from Anakin's. While the Jedi master fiddled with something on his desk he took the time to ask what had been on his mind, "what exactly is it that I could teach you Mas…er, Anakin?"

"As much as I love my children I know that they do try to hide one or two things from me – very poorly may I add – things like a deep desire to join the Rebellion's fight against the Empire" Anakin began barely hiding a knowing smile. The man's blue eyes looked for honesty to his questions, honesty that Ezra was not about to cover up with lies, "how are things going for them?"

"Not as well as I'd hoped. The group has already fractured between in two, one led by Saw Gerrera and the other by Mon Mothma. Saw is under the impression that open warfare already exists, but he takes things to a much more violent level. Mon on the other hand denies our own ability to fight back against the Empire; she thinks we aren't ready and believes that as long as the Senate exists then there is a chance to solve things through words".

Anakin tapped his hand on the table that he leaned on and sighed. It became fairly obvious that the man lost himself in thought, his eyes drifting to the wall on their right as he did so. The Jedi shook his head at the conclusions he had been making, but spoke aloud to confirm them, "so the politicians still believe that the old man is going to listen to their cries for democracy. They've learned nothing over the past twenty years then, he wouldn't rescind his powers during the Clone Wars, and he's certainly not going to do so now that he's achieved his ultimate goal".

"If you don't mind me asking Master Skywalker" Ezra started, "what is the Emperor's goal?"

"Just Anakin, remember?" Anakin told him wearing a grin until it faded just as quickly as it appeared. He sighed then continued, "Palpatine is a Sith as I told you before, and the goal of such a person is to have absolute control of the galaxy. Power is what drives them, and once it's in their grasp they stop at nothing to hold onto it. Palpatine, or Darth Sidious as he should be known, manipulated: the Republic, the Separatist Alliance, Jedi, and the Senate all to be placed into power. If they believe that words can get him to resign then they are doomed to fail".

"I've been wanting them to do more, but they're so hesitant to do so. It's taken them so long to build up this arsenal of people and material that now it's as if they're afraid to use any of it. We'll take part in raids or gathering information on the Empire's whereabouts, but it just goes to waste" Ezra said in frustration. Criticizing the Rebellion wasn't something he truly enjoyed doing – mostly since the encounter with Saw – yet it seemed that Anakin shared in his feeling so he continued, "Saw takes it to an extreme, but he had a point when he tolled Senator Mothma that the Empire had already begun to fight a war the Rebellion hadn't even recognized yet".

"One thing I've noticed in my lifetime Ezra is that politicians don't understand that in extreme cases fighting is necessary. Words have been proven to be ineffective, and the Senate is a shell of its former self. No other options exist for them or us if the Empire is to fall. War has been declared already, but they're just unable to see it" Anakin said as the realizations came to him. "Perhaps if they had ex-military…."

"You mean a General or something" Ezra added knowing it could only hint at Anakin. A former Jedi who fought in the Clone War could make a huge difference in the Alliance. The military know how, tactics, and experience would have to give them an advantage against a simple Imperial commander who underestimated them. Add in the fact that Anakin's own master probably had experience as well and they could have the beginnings of a formidable foe.

"Anyway" Anakin said trying to change the topic, "the reason I brought you in here is to show you what I've been working on all day". The older man turned to the work bench, letting his hands reach for a gleaming metal contraption that sat on a stand. Wires lined the metal along with plenty of screws where pieces met at joints. If Ezra didn't know any better he would have guess that it was a…

"It's a prosthetic for your arm" Anakin told him with a hint of pride. The man held the metallic forearm for Ezra's inspection, "it isn't one of the top of the line ones that the open market offers, but it'll do the job. It's based off of the one that I use, almost the same exact spot for my right arm. You'll be able to move it just like you would your regular arm only the feeling will be missing. Once we find the time then we'll find the synthetic ones".

"I don't know what to say" he said honestly in reply. Anakin had made this for him, and it must have taken plenty of hours to do so. The hand had plenty of aspects to it that he could never understand, yet the man in front of him managed to do it in only three or four days. Anakin didn't know the meaning of the word 'selfish'.

"Don't worry about it. Making or fixing things is a lifelong passion of mine, in a way this gave me a new chance to use my hobby for something good. If you'd like I can put it on tonight, though you may want to be put into a deep trance for that". Ezra just nodded in reply, eyes still glued to his new arm. "Good, now why don't you get something to eat? Padme made a delicious stew that you may like".

"Thank you, Anakin. I don't know if I can say that to you all enough" Ezra told him as he rose up from the stool he had borrowed. When he awoke there had been so much missing from his life: his family, his arm, his lightsaber, and his home. Leaving so much behind had taken a lot out of him that he didn't try to show. Step by step he began to feel some of those things came back to him, though the family he left behind left the largest gap in his life.

Savory aromas met his nose the instant he left Anakin's workspace. His eyes closed on their own while he inhaled the smell that made his stomach rumble in response. It called to him, invited him to come find it within the house. If this was what Anakin meant when he spoke of his wife's cooking then he definitely undersold it. The scent wasn't coming from the kitchen however, it seemed to be coming from outside along with another presence he had become familiar with.

His feet guided him down the hallway he had been down once before until he found two open doors wide open leading to a lit patio. Night's breeze snuck through the opening, placed cool kisses on his cheeks and brought with it the smell that had been calling to him. His eyes found Leia sitting on the patio's wall staring up at the cloudless sky, lost in the stars above. Next to her a steaming bowl of whatever her mother had made for dinner, and he found it intoxicating.

"If you wouldn't mind closing the doors so my parents don't berate me for letting the heat out I would appreciate it" she said without changing her body position. Ezra followed her instructions as asked before looking up to see if he could find what she had been staring at. Shooting stars were absent, ships didn't fly by, in fact there wasn't anything to look at. The night simply boasted its unordinary peaceful nature.

"This is for you" she said gesturing to the bowl net to her, "I figured you'd be just as hungry as my brother. Normally, this is where we go after dinner to meditate or talk, but he felt the need to speak with our Uncle Kenobi about who knows what. You're more than welcome to join me unless you've been summoned elsewhere".

"Of course" Ezra replied taking his place on the brick wall next to Leia. Keeping his appetite in check he simply tasted the soup that he had placed in his lap and regretted the decision immediately. His mouth felt as though he had placed one of the logs from the fire inside and felt the sting of tears behind his eyes.

"I expected you to blow on it, normally steam signifies that food is rather warm" Leia told him. He heard the buried laughter in her voice, once she turned away from the stars above. He clenched his hand once the liquid cooled enough for him to finally swallow.

"Thanks for the warning" he said back to her, "warmth is fine, but you could have mentioned that this had been recently boiling. Where I'm from pranks warrant retaliation in the worst ways".

Turning back to the scene above them she replied with a smile reaching the edges of her lips, "I wish you luck on that endeavor as there had yet to be a person to successfully prank me. Years of vigilance has made me immune to such things, and I must further warn you that if you try then you shall be met with a full response".

"That's only because you've never met someone from Phoenix Squadron" he told her, "our lives are full of practical jokes and prank wars. If you ask me I'm the only one to consistently win them, Zeb and Sabine claim they're undefeated but that's just a lie". Ezra could remember several times he had paired up with the Losat or the Mandalorian to prank the other one. Those memories became treasures over time, and in a life full of nightmares they had become a driving force to end things faster.

"Tell me about them" Leia requested turning her brown eyes towards him, giving Ezra her full attention. He observed her brown eyes and she gazed back, waiting to learn about the friends he abruptly left behind.

Ezra leaned onto his right hand and took a moment to think about how to describe the people he had been with for nearly four years. There had rarely been a moment when they weren't by his side so trying to describe them to another never really crossed his mind. It was then he realized just how disparate things had become in the last few days.

"Zeb would be the 'Uncle' figure of our group I think" he started, "he's always been a steady figure to rely on, always there to have your back even when he doesn't think he should have to. His morals are what guide him on our missions, and in everyday life. The guy would never harm one of us, and he may not like to show it, but he's got a heart of gold".

A weak smile came across his face once he began to speak of the other prankster he mentioned, "Sabine on the other hand wears her heart on her sleeve, almost literally. She's Mandalorian, but unlike her people she enjoys expressing parts of herself through painting. I've never seen anyone who has such an intrinsic skill for artwork. The things she doesn't or won't say can be found in her paintings, it's really remarkable.

It took a while for her to warm up to me, but once she did she became my closest friend. Every mission we had one another's backs, protecting each other from any dangers that find us, and it always does. Where she goes I'll go, it's how it is. I don't think I can picture a life without her being around to make each day an adventure".

"She sounds very special, I'm looking forward to meeting her" Leia added once he was done. Her eyes continued to linger on his face for a minute until she looked away. The girl's face changed from her glad expression into one full of confusion or perhaps sadness.

"Did I say something?" he asked her beginning to grow self-conscious. The last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable after all she had done. Even through the Force he could feel minute traces of unease from Leia.

She took a moment to collect her thoughts, and Ezra didn't press any further. He had a feeling she would come clean once she organized what she wanted to say to him, and that it carried emotional weight for her.

"No, you've done nothing wrong" she said relieving his worry, yet she continued, "it's just that I have nothing like that. Outside of my family I've never really had any friends or people that I could label as such. My life has been so sheltered, so isolated from the rest of the galaxy that it has robbed me of any chance to grow. My mother taught us, continues to teach us about life though the experiences that she or my father have had, and I've never been in anything _close_ to that".

Leia's brown eyes bore into Ezra's, and he could see years of internal frustration in them. The look on her face told him that she regretted saying these things immensely, but she couldn't stop nor did he want her to. Internalizing feelings is known to be harmful, and it's the one thing he wished that his _Ghost_ family would stop doing. On too many occasions they kept things to themselves only to burst upon the first sign of complications, Leia didn't have to do that, not now.

"Rescuing you was the first time Luke and I had been left on our own to do a task. We had been on others before, but always with father or our uncle to watch over us. Not only that, but you're one of the very first kids our age that we've met! I understand that we're still kids, and unexperienced, but we have to experience life at some point! My mother became queen of Naboo at fourteen, and my father became a Jedi at nine. By our age they had been through so much, and I'm so protected from all of that" her emotions came unhinged, though Leia tried to use every ounce of training to control them. Her eyes closed, and she tried to release her feelings only to find that they couldn't go away until she admitted what she had been hiding for so long, "I'm just so lonely".

Any relief that came earlier vaporized. Hearing someone admit something so personal touched him at the same time it made her seem so vulnerable. To see a young woman who came across as incredibly strong reveal her feelings of depression broke his perception of things here. How many times had he felt the same thing? Loneliness could be crippling, it could suck the drive from the strongest individual. He'd felt it before, and couldn't wish it on his worst enemy.

Ezra took advantage of the moment and gently laid his hand over hers. Leia faced away, shame still displayed for the world to see. "I know what It's like to feel that way. I've had times where I felt like it was me against all life had to throw at me. After my parents were taken away from me there seemed to be no place in the galaxy that appreciated me until I met Kanan, Sabine, and the rest of them. I want you to know that I'll be your first friend, and one day you will experience all life can give you. I promise".


	13. Chapter 13

_Six days after Ezra's crash_

Thin air made it hard to breathe in Cloud City making the destination literally breathtaking. It's not like the place was an eyesore either, but Sabine could think of plenty other places she'd rather be right then. The buildings were rather drab - everything seemed like it was the same shade of clay, the architecture lacked diversity, and for a city in the clouds there really wasn't that much to admire. What made it worse were that the people were just as bland as the city, but how could she expect more from a mining colony?

At least this place wasn't in the Empire's jurisdiction, and that was probably the reason Lando Calrissian had requested the meeting to be here. Supposedly, the suave, charismatic man had received information about a new potential target on Lothal or so the Rebellion said. Mon had originally asked Sabine if the whole crew had been able to go, however she was in no mood to go on a group mission. If the Rebellion needed her assistance then she would always be ready, but she was going to do it alone this time. No unnecessary risks, no one else to worry about.

She had hoped more than anything that this mission would take her mind off of Ezra's death. Visiting his grave every morning and every night made sapped her willpower to do anything. Sabine was smart enough to know her mentality was not a healthy one, and it wasn't going to bring down those who had caused the emptiness in her life. By leaving the base she had hoped that it would change the way she had been feeling or at least take the pain from her mind for a time.

Ignoring the strain on her heart wasn't easy by any means. This was exactly the type of task that they both would've been sent on, she would more than likely recon the area while Ezra would be sent into the meeting to figure what exactly Lando knew. Just like any other mission they had been sent on together this one would end in success; they were partners, best friends, and never failed.

"Thinking about that will not help" she told herself, and for the time being she pushed those kinds of thoughts as far away as she possibly could. Taking a relaxing breath, she moved from the landing platform where the _Phantom II_ had been docked, and made her way towards Cloud City.

Using the data pad that Rebel Intelligence lent her Sabine began to navigate the different roads, alleyways, and walkways in an effort to find the dive Lando resided in. The restaurant shouldn't have been too far from where she had landed, and this wasn't exactly a shady place to be so she wasn't expecting too much. The mission should be simple, no Imperial presence and no obvious threats to her life. All she had to do was see the scoundrel she met on Lothal then head back or so she kept telling herself.

Sabine's impression of the city never grew when she moved further down the road from her landing pad. To her immediate right she could only find souvenir shops selling marked up trinkets to tourists. On the left across the street were a mixture of tour guides as well as hotels that pandered to the Galaxy's upper class. This place just seemed to be the stereotypical image of what a tourist trap would look like.

Families passed her, all of whom seemed to be enjoying their days together. The innocence of their trips making her smile despite all of what she had been enduring lately. Seeing something so different made all else slip away for a minute; the children laughing with their new toys, parents in love with the lives they lived, each moment shared with someone they care deeply about. Someday it would be nice to enjoy those moments, when all of this was over. Never had she given her future much thought, but seeing the groups of kin walking by gave her something to think about until she got to her destination.

As her feet walked on with minds of their own she wondered what her children would look like when they came to this galaxy. A boy or girl wouldn't matter much, so long as they were strong and healthy then she would be happy. Like their mother they would be strong individuals, warriors in spirit and in person. Mandalorians always learned to fight, and they would be no different, maybe they would even be able to use the Force.

"No" she said out loud to herself. Sabine's hands rubbed her eyes while she tried her absolute best to focus on the task at hand. "I don't have children, and they won't be Force sensitive. Stop thinking about that. Lando, find Lando".

Sabine glanced down at her datapad so she could memorize every single turn needed to find that godforsaken dive. Once she had her route Sabine ran, trying with every ounce of her body and mind to escape the thoughts that plagued her every second of everyday. Each hour of each day she felt plagued by grief, despair, hatred, and bitterness, and by now she was sick of all of it. Ezra could never be forgotten, but the feelings that followed his death became debilitating.

People stared as the navy blue and black-haired individual raced past them as she outran her thoughts. She ducked down one alleyway, veered left, dodged crates down another alleyway, raced down the street that one opened up to then sprinted at full speed once the establishment was insight. Her mind had to be cleared for this, she couldn't screw this up now. Relief could be within sight so long as she kept her head in the now.

Once she reached the door Sabine took a minute to catch her breath. She kept repeating the suave scoundrel's name in her head until it became a sort of mantra until the name lost meaning. Information, that was what she had come here to retrieve for the Rebellion. They needed it for a possible assault on Lothal, and they trusted her to get it. It was an in and out job that she had done hundreds of other times, it was simple. As her breath resumed its normal pace Sabine strode through the sliding door.

The dive seemed just like any other restaurant that catered to shady types. A bar stationed to her left filled itself with occupants of mostly human customers, most of whom looked completely inebriated. The booths lined the walls, most of which had plumes of smoke coming from them and with patrons who certainly seemed to be minding their own black-market business. Yes sir, this place definitely had 'Lando Calrissian' written all over it.

"Ah, Sabine!" a voice from the bar called to her. Her eyes turned to see Lando walking over to her from one of the Sabacc tables in the back, his pearly white grin making the otherwise dark place somewhat brighter. The man was slick she had to admit, he wore a set of orange striped brown trousers that hugged his body, and a navy-blue shirt that had a low cut and baggy on the sleeves. Confidence was not in short supply, but she wasn't in the mood for any games of his. He took a swig from his shot glass then placed it on one of the tables he passed then gave her the once over. "My, my, you look even more beautiful than the last time we met".

"I need the intel you said that you had Lando, not contemptable efforts to impress me" she shot back crossing her arms over her chest. The look she gave him must have been convincing as he motioned for her to follow him over to one of the booths. Beings eyed them both as they weaved between tables giving her looks of disgust or lust, both of which displeased her.

Lando swiftly slid onto the bench across from her then resumed his lax mentality and posture. He leaned on his hand with his elbow on the table locking eyes with her, only serving to cause her irritation to grow. The man's eyes ogled her up and down causing her teeth to grind at the unwanted looks, she had to strongly resist the urge to grab his collar then choke him out.

"If you've invited the Rebellion here just to find someone to spend the night with then you've done something very stupid Calrissian. There are better things to do with my time" she warned him threateningly.

Lando's perfect grin only grew wider, "oh you may think so, but I would strongly disagree".

Having enough of his games Sabine's right hand went to her hip for her pistol. With her thumb she switched off the safety then aimed the weapon at Lando's leg. The trigger felt good in her finger and all she had to do was wait for some justification to fire. It would probably feel incredible wiping the arrogant smirk off of his face. She spoke to him slowly to make sure he understood, "I have one of my pistols aimed at your knee, and I'm _really_ looking for an excuse to use it. Should I wait any longer then my hand probably won't stay still. Understood?"

Tilting his head Lando seemed almost impressed at her audacity. The man turned his attention to the bartender and signaled for two more drinks. "Well, I have to say that I find your 'hard to get' attitude very attractive, but it's understood Ms. Wren. Now, back to the reason I signaled for you to come I suppose". Lando reached into his pocket then placed on the table a data disk, and pushed it over to her side of the table.

"What's on it?" she said while she inserted the device into her data pad, making sure it wasn't some scam from the scoundrel.

"Information on the TIE Defender factory that you all raided last week. Apparently, there has been a lot of activity there to ramp up production not just for those fighters, but for something much bigger" he told her leaning close. The lust in his face had gone, replaced by a serious expression she had never seen before. His finger tapped the datapad in her hands, "whatever's on that inventory has nothing to do with their ships. You can see items like some sort of crystal, and some sort of firing system that I've never seen before. If you want my guess I think the Empire's onto some confidential Star Destroyer".

"The factory" Sabine whispered to herself. Absent mindedly she inspected the data, and it looked as if it checked out. Rebel Intelligence would still have to make sure that it was all legit, but from what she could see the itinerary contained exactly what Lando said, and much more. At once, she stuck the data pad inside of Ezra's orange jacket then she zipped it up.

"If you don't mind me saying so, you look a little distracted" Sabine kept quiet, averting her eyes and making it look like she was searching for anyone who could catch their hand off. "You know, if you need someone to hear you out then I've got the time".

Her gaze zipped back to Lando then squinted, "I don't remember you being a psychiatrist Calrissian, and the last thing I'm going to do is tell you about anything only for you to take advantage of the situation so you can sleep with me".

Lando's hands went up in a placating gesture, "not everything I say is a means to that end. Sometimes a guy's just trying to be earnest, though not everyone sees that. All I meant was that your demeanor has changed, you seem much angrier. If I were to guess I would say you've been going through a rough time".

Sabine whipped out her pistol and pointed it right at Lando's chest. For the first time she could see fear in his eyes, he knew had gone much too far. The familiar misting behind her eyes came back, but she fought it hard enough to keep it in check. Her hand shook slightly, and her voice sounded the same, "you know nothing about me or what I've been through. My patience has worn thin, and one more word earns you a bolt through your heart".

"Hear me out" he told her, and for some reason she listened. His left hand ducked into his pocket then returned to the table where he placed a small box a few inches in height, width, and length. Lando's expression returned to the serious one she had seen when he spoke of the information on the disk, "if you really want to forget about what you feel – it certainly looks like you do – then take one of those. They're magic. Any pain or undesired thoughts fade away until you simply feel better. I can't explain it or how it works, but it's worked for me in the past. You can trust me".

Nothing in the universe should have made her trust what he had told her, his only goals in life seemed to be pay or sex. This could very easily be one of his schemes to drug her then take her to bed, yet a gut feeling told her that the man had too much pride for that to be true. Further justification came when she knew that she was desperate to forget. Normality seemed like paradise to her, and if it took a tablet to achieve that then she'd do it. She stuffed the box into her pocket then wove her way to the exit.

In the _Phantom_ Sabine scrolled through the information Lando had given her. Whatever they were building back on Lothal it definitely seemed like it was a big project. The material they were bringing in wasn't cheap, and it had been heavily guarded once it arrived. Perhaps that was one of the reasons that things had gone so wrong during their mission – they didn't expect such a presence to be at the base.

No matter how hard she tried, she could not get those memories out of her head. Every second of every day seemed to be clouded by what she deemed the worst day of her life. Ezra's words hung in her head, and she pictured herself struggling against Zeb's arms to get free only to be held in place. Just for a moment she wanted to be free, to forget about it. Functioning became nearly impossible when she became crippled by her emotions.

Sabine's chocolate eyes rose to look at the box on the control panel, wondering if they really could work the magic Lando said they could. She shouldn't, it wasn't smart in any sense to consume a tablet from nearly a stranger. Her eyes darted back to the data pad to look at the information then back to the box. It felt like they called to her, telling her that she'd be alright.

Grudgingly, she placed the data pad on her lap then reached for the box. Her fingers removed the plastic wrapping then removed the lid to the box, and inside she saw dozens of little white disks. Before she gave herself any time to think twice her fingers took one of the disks then placed it in her mouth.

The bitter taste initially made her cringe, but then that regretful sensation became one of pure euphoria. Mental images of that day faded away until they had been nearly forgotten, replaced instead by a blank canvas. Memories dissipated like they were raindrops in an ocean of calm serenity. The grief, and depression that had been so overwhelming became feelings of motivation, and confidence. No longer did the weight of the universe hang over her shoulders, that had been replaced by a weightlessness that brought a smile to her lips. It almost felt as though Sabine had forgotten what had been causing her internal chaos.

Opening eyes that she never knew were closed she looked down at the datapad, and remembered what her task had been. This information could cause a serious blow to the Empire's efforts on Lothal, and if the Rebellion believed they could return then she would lead the charge. Phoenix Squadron could rise again, and bring hell with them.


	14. Chapter 14

**This chapter begins the road back to the Rebellion! Keep that in mind as we go on. There have also been some comments about a sequel, and there will be one, but probably not what you all have been thinking. Hope your weeks have been going well!**

 _Six Days After Ezra's Crash – Afternoon_

"Very good Ezra, you're doing very well" Obi-Wan commended him, "it seems that you've mastered a technique that took my own padawan many years to simply try".

From his meditative position in the Skywalker's backyard Ezra felt pride at the Jedi master's compliment. It certainly wasn't the easiest thing for him to excel at, but once he felt comfortable with his own Force skills he found himself meditating often. Turmoil faded once he found the soothing song of the Force, and focusing on that allowed him to find an inner peace that always benefited him.

"I appreciate that Master Kenobi. It wasn't easy to do at first, practice did change that though. I find meditating to be very relaxing" he replied from his position.

"If only I could get Anakin and Leia to see it that way" Obi-Wan sighed, "they can't meditate for longer than an hour or so at most. Luke had been impatient at first, yet he seemed to have inherited his mother's patience".

A half-grin tugged at the corner of Ezra's mouth, "yeah I can picture that very well". In the short time that he had known the family he had the distinct impression that Leia's more emotional personality came from her father while Luke seemed much more collected, which must have come from Padme. There really wasn't a lot of time spent with the family as a whole, but as far as he could tell each child took their looks from one parent then personality as another.

Ezra finally allowed himself to break his meditation to see the trees swaying in the chilly breeze, and feel the wet grass beneath his legs. Last but not least, he allowed himself to look at his new left forearm, mesmerized by the minute pistons, and levers that moved on command. It felt rather unnatural, but he couldn't feel anything but gratitude for the improvement over his stump.

Noticing that Obi-Wan now eyed him Ezra voiced his thoughts, "it seems that my debt to the Skywalker family will never end. Last night before bed Padme administered some sort of sleeping agent then when I woke up Anakin stood over me sipping tea asking how he did. Even if it had some slight malfunction I wouldn't have told him, but this replacement works like a charm".

Obi-Wan watched the young Jedi padawan flex his fingers then smiled more to himself than anything. His voice became laced with fatherly pride when he spoke, "machinery is both a hobby and speciality of my former padawan. From a very early age he showed plenty of promise by building a podracer as well as the protocol droid that assists Padme – before the age of ten may I add. He started right away once he returned home and the twins told him about your injuries". The elder man changed his attention from the hand to Ezra himself, "Leia in particular seemed very concerned about your wellbeing".

Was that a bad thing if she was so concerned about him? After all she had told him last night, maybe she just wanted a friend to have around. Luke had Mara whom he seemed pretty close to so it was it any wonder that Leia found a stranger all that interesting? Trying not to sound suspicious or irritated Ezra voiced his thoughts, "is there harm in that Master Kenobi? We've only just met, but she's been very welcoming to me. She told me that she hasn't really had the opportunity to make a lot of friends here, I'm assuming that's what her behavior is related to".

"There is no inherent harm in that, no. You very well could be right in making such assumptions as well; the twins have had lived very sheltered lives due to reasons that are not mine to share with you. Having you here gives them both an opportunity to be in touch with the outside world, and that have plenty of different consequences". Obi-Wan stood up from the grass then wiped stray strands of grass from his pants. He resumed his traditional Jedi stance by placing his hands in his sleeves, "I'd like to show you something Ezra Bridger, if I may".

"Of course, Master" he replied then began to follow Obi-Wan. The pair walked from the open grass area behind the Skywalker's house deeper into the forested area behind them. Ezra had barely noticed a path that had been sitting there with two berry bushes on each side. Obi-Wan never looked back as he led the younger Jedi deeper into the woods, past fallen trees and other bushes until the density of the trees lessened. Eventually the trees faded away all together until the pair found themselves at the top of a small hill that led to a lake.

The site took his breath away as he looked over it from his vantage point. From atop the hill he could see a vast expanse of rocky peaks, tree tops, and a beautiful blue lake the likes of which he had never seen. Ezra became filled with a sense of serenity that he hadn't ever experienced, he was so focused on the scenery that he very nearly missed three figures standing where the hill's grass met the sand on the lake's coast.

"It's stunning" he told Obi-Wan who stood next to him surveying the same sights.

"That it is, but that isn't what I brought you here to see".

Ezra's eyes ceased drinking in nature then trailed down to watch Anakin who looked like he was instructing his children in the art of sword fighting. The twins moved with grace, each attack and parry so refined that it made his own skill look feeble. Luke and Leia must have been training for years to reach the level they were at. "That's intimidating" he commented out loud.

"Indeed. Anakin is perhaps the greatest swordsman the Jedi Order ever produced, his attention to every single small detail made him a formidable foe for even the greatest enemy. It's only natural that his children know the same thing" Obi-Wan commented, "however, they are not ready to face the threat that is imposed on them".

Ezra noticed something in the way Obi-Wan said that, as if there was an impending threat upon them all. They had spoken about the Empire openly, and while there were hard feelings about that it wasn't a unique threat to the Skywalkers. However, he remembered the one thing that caused Anakin's anxiety to spike.

"It's Darth Discipulus, isn't it?" he asked turning to face the aging Jedi master. He watched the man's shoulders rise then fall after a deep breath telling Ezra all he needed to know. "Is she the threat that only Anakin should tell me about?"

"Yes. How do you know about her?" he asked with a deep sadness in his eyes.

"My master and I faced her on Lothal a couple years ago, but I think everyone knows about the Emperor's enforcer" he said matter-of-factly. Obi-Wan's expression didn't change so he continued, "our mission was to rescue a minister whose life had been threatened by Discipulus. We managed to sneak her out while she was being moved, but we were cut off on our way back to our ship. Kanan and I, we've faced Inquisitors before, but they were nothing compared to her. The way that she moved was nothing like I had ever seen. Each strike we took at her never even connected. By the time we left with the minister Kanan had been blinded, but we were lucky enough to escape with that".

Ezra became lost in his thoughts, remembering the stories about the Emperor's right hand, and the rest of the world faded out. "I've heard stories about her, the way she's put down any sort of insurrection. As a kid on Lothal I would hear stories from the elders about the ruthless way she hunted down any survivors of those insurrections. I had nightmares about her, but those were pleasant dreams compared to what I had seen". When he finished Ezra looked back down to the training Jedi below then realized, "and she's why Anakin and Padme want to keep them hidden. They're two of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, she would use them for anything. So long as they're here…"

"They're safe" Obi-Wan finished for him, "that is why I ask you to be cautious with Leia and Luke. Their inner need to join the Rebel Alliance is extremely dangerous to them, and even though they know about…Discipulus they wish to run headlong into a fight they don't understand. I've been in war before, it changes even the strongest soldiers. It takes many things from you as I'm sure you already know. They don't need that".

"I understand Master Kenobi" Ezra told him, "I won't cause any problems for them or you" he said honestly. Yet, with that promise came a new problem for him, one he didn't foresee until that very moment. The Skywalker twins had both made it seem like joining the Rebellion was inevitable for all of them, which was one of the reasons he made that promise to stay with them. Breaking his word wasn't something Ezra was going to do, but inside he felt a pang of regret about committing himself to these Jedi when they clearly made their hesitations so clear.

Placing his hand on Ezra's shoulder Obi-Wan smiled, "you are mature and wise, I thank you for that. Now for other matters, we have things to attend to before we catch those two murderers you saw yesterday".

"You mean tactics?"

"Allow me to show you what I mean" Obi-Wan said making his way back to the house.

Ezra waited outside for the rest of the group to ready themselves for tonight's mission. After eating a quick dinner thrown together by Padme and Anakin he decided to test the night's air. He allowed his feet to lead him off of the cobblestone walkway, and into the open front yard. Crisp air chilled his skin, but it had been a welcome feeling as he looked up to the stars above wondering how his life had taken such a turn from where it had been. It wasn't like him to wonder about life or get all existential, yet now it just made him wonder how such a simple act took him here.

Laying down on the cool damp grass he continued looking at the stars wondering where Yavin and Lothal were. He thought about his family, how they had been fairing so far in his absence. It only felt like a couple days since he had last seen them, but it was going on a week at this point. He had no idea when the next time he would see them would be, and he wondered how different it would be. Thinking about their reunion Ezra could almost feel the arms of his adopted family, the well wished from each of them. Kanan who would ask him all about the Jedi who had found him, Hera making sure he wasn't hurt beyond his arm, Sabine who would make a quick remark then try to mask her feelings poorly. The idea of having them all together warmed him inside, giving him hope that it wouldn't be too long until he saw them.

"Credit for your thoughts?" Luke called from behind his laying form.

Ezra nearly spoke about his want to return to the Rebellion until his talk from earlier with Obi-Wan entered his mind. Trying his best not to lie he responded, "just wondering which systems are which. Looking at the sky and trying to find planets is much more difficult without a chart nearby".

"No kidding" his friend replied with a laugh, "once we return then you could tell me which ones you've been to while I find them on the chart. Sounds pretty lame, but it's more fun than you know".

"Sounds good to me" Ezra replied joyfully. Now that he realized it, he had never truly had a male friend his age either. There were a few here and there, but never one who really stuck around to be more than an acquaintance. Maybe he was more like these two than he previously thought.

"Time to go boys" Anakin called out as the door closed behind him. The nonchalant look that the man normally wore had faded into a look Ezra could only describe as determination. From what he had put together, neither Anakin nor Padme wanted their kids in any sort of mortal danger so this had to be pretty hard on him. The twins told him that they had stopped small time criminals before, but possible drug smugglers had to be a whole different ballgame. Death was a real possibility here, and the Skywalker patriarch was not going to take chances.

As Ezra and Luke made their way to Anakin he held out his hand to stop them in their place while Leia and Obi-Wan stepped into the chilled autumn air from the house. His blue eyes focused on his two children then Ezra who felt increasingly intimidated by the display of authority. His voice certainly did not betray his expression either, "this is no game tonight. There is a real possibility that one of you may get hurt. Your mother does not like you coming on this, but she understands the need to have you out here to help others. The three of you have been trained well enough to defend yourselves in this situation, however if either Obi-Wan or myself give you a command then you follow it to the letter. Should we tell you to hide you do so, if we tell you to run then you do so, should we tell you to shoot then you must without delay. Normally, we tell you to keep your lightsabers hidden, but under these circumstances I want you to use them if you find yourselves in any danger".

The mechanical replacement on Ezra's left arm patted the pouch inside of his cloak where Obi-Wan's spare lightsaber had been hidden. The eldest of the bunch allowed him to borrow the weapon until they could find a time to build his third sword. It was for protection he knew, but it was more of a sort of 'indoctrination' into their ranks. In their eyes he was one of them.

"Okay" Anakin said satisfied that the teenagers understood his directions, "our goal here is simple, we shadow the target at the club until the hitmen show up. Once they do then we must apprehend them quietly if possible. Stuns are preferred, but if things get hot then do what you must so long as no innocent lives are taken. For this, Obi-Wan and I have agreed to split into two teams, so there are enough to defend ourselves should things go awry".

"Luke, Ezra, you're with me" Obi-Wan stated softy, "any questions?" When no one responded the group of five made their way to the speeder that had been laying in the drive way. Ezra could only hope that everything went well, and when the vehicle took off he couldn't fight the doubts he'd had in his mind. The last mission he went on nearly killed him, he didn't know if he could bear that happening to one of these people.

He sighed as he looked out of the passenger side window hoping that those fears wouldn't come true. Faintly, he recognized bits of the path that he and Luke had run up last night while the wind whipped past his ears, chilling the skin. Despite his attempts to sooth himself he found the anxiety in his gut growing with each inch they traveled. Soon the woods would fade into cobblestone streets that he had been familiar with until they finally reached the _Raven_ nightclub, and there would be no turning back.

A gentle touch on his wrist brought him out of him ruminations. Leia, who had been placed in between her bother and Ezra spoke softly to him, "is everything alright? You look like you're worried".

"Yeah, I'm fine" he replied, "just hoping that nothing goes wrong tonight. I'd hate to see anything happen to your family".

The corners of her lips rose in a curious smile as her eye brows fell in a look of confusion, "why would anything happen to us?"

Ezra exhaled loudly then looked away from Leia's onlooking gaze, "I don't really know. Maybe it's just because of what happened on my last mission, but something isn't sitting right with me right now. I feel slightly worried about this, it could be incredibly dangerous".

"Could it be a more than a feeling, maybe a premonition?" she asked him. Ezra shook his head in response since it didn't come in a vision, just more of a deep feeling mixed with thoughts that wouldn't leave him be. Leia placed her hand on his metal forearm, "I wouldn't worry too much about that, we have two of the Jedi Order's best knights, my brother, and us. A Sith Lord couldn't stand a chance against that so why would two criminals? We'll stay vigilant tonight, but don't worry too much. The five of us will make it out of this so long as the Force is with us, and we have each other".

Ezra wished he shared her optimism.


	15. Chapter 15

_Six days after Ezra's crash: night on Batuu_

With their hoods over their heads Ezra, Luke, and Obi-Wan strode into the nightclub before the others. Several stone steps dropped them in front of an opening covered by black curtains which did nothing to block the cacophony of noise coming from behind. As the three men walked past the entrance their senses became assaulted by: ear piercing music, cologne and sweet perfume, multi-colored lights, and scantily clad women from all sorts of species. Ezra spared a glance to Luke who seemed to be following a pair of twi'leks swaying their hips while they made their way to the bartender.

"Wow" Skywalker whispered to Ezra, trying to make sure that his Uncle didn't hear him, "this place is certainly much different from anywhere I've been before".

As his head turned to watch another girl a few years older than them he responded to his friend, "you said it. I wouldn't frown upon returning to this place in our free time. Though I don't believe that Mara would like that idea much". With his peripheral vision Ezra watched Luke snap his head away from the bar and towards himself.

"Whatever could you mean?" he tried to play off with poorly displayed innocence.

"Gentlemen" Obi-Wan addressed them turning around to face the boys, "remember that we have a task to attend to. I'm sure that these beautiful women can wait for you two bachelors until we complete our goal. After that then you will be able to stay so long as you desire, however just be aware of the possible consequences from Padme, Mara, and Leia" the last name he said while wearing an expression of amusement aimed at Ezra.

"Shall we then?" Ezra suggests to the others as he starts to walk further into the room, doing his best to ignore any implications that had just been made. He squeezed his way through the mass of people swaying their sweaty bodies all across the dancefloor. Perfume continued to swirl around him, and he had to be honest, the smell became pretty intoxicating. He had never really thought about the power such a thing could hold over someone, but being surrounded by it was such a distraction. Being incased in a ship where there was nothing but smells of food or explosives, neither of which were very good for turn-ons.

Yes, he and Luke would have to make a return visit.

"Where exactly –" he began to say then cut himself off once he saw one of the two women they had seen the other day. The red twi'lek stood over a table that had several empty shot glasses, and looked emotionless. Her eyes hadn't spotted him even as she they searched for the target they had spoken about yesterday. He held a hand upright in a signaling motion that the two behind him followed.

"There" he said loud enough that both Obi-Wan and Luke could hear, "at the table with the empty glasses".

"I see her" Obi-Wan confirmed moving to the point of the group, "we must stay out of sight if we are to keep an eye on her. If we raise her suspicion she's not going to follow through on any plan of hers meaning that the chance to save a life is forfeit".

"In that case we should split up. Three men standing around watching a woman is enough to raise a red flag so we don't have many options. We found one of our targets, one should stay here while the other two go to look for the other" said Luke.

Obi-Wan squinted towards his adopted nephew, "I don't like it. We should stay together to keep us in one spot".

"But Uncle, father and Leia don't even know what she looks like. The description we gave them could fit anyone in this place. Ezra and I will be safe together, we'll look for her partner. Odds are that they themselves split up to find their own target, it's the smart thing to do. I have my com in my belt incase we find them or need help".

"Skywalkers, you'll be the death of me someday" Obi-Wan muttered while wiping his face with his hand. "Do not find trouble, when you see her contact me or your father and stay unseen".

"Of course" Luke says then leads his friend away from the red twi'lek woman and deeper into the night club. Each teenager kept an eye out for the raven-haired woman, each finding plenty of look-alikes. They wove through dancing couples, avoided spills from strangers' drinks, and each felt stray hands sneaking touches along their bodies.

As they neared the dance floor Ezra placed his hand on Luke's shoulder, "we're being pretty foolish. Why don't we try to sense her?"

"With all of these people around us?"

Ezra shrugged, "it's worth a try. Looking for her probably won't bring us any success since we found the other one by luck. It's easier to find someone in the Force rather than looking through a sea of people".

"Worth a try" Luke agreed.

The two boys leaned on the closest table then closed their eyes. Like when he fell asleep Ezra transitioned from ignorant awareness into complete knowledge of his surroundings. Similar to how radar could pick up ships he noticed every presence in the building. To gain his bearings he found Luke, Obi-Wan, Anakin, Leia, and the red twi'lek they had been looking for. Sifting through hundreds of people who had ill intent would be daunting to anyone, however he felt determined to save the life of the drug dealer's target. He had to narrow it down to a more specific part of the building. Luke had mentioned that these two would probably split up to cover as much ground as possible. If that's the case then perhaps she would be somewhere with a good vantage point or close enough to the manager's nest.

"I feel something" Luke said, "far corner near the music player".

Shifting his focus towards the spot in question Ezra sifted through several people until he found one that felt different. Honing in on that person he found that there were traces of vague familiarity that he recalled from yesterday. He could feel the dark intentions coming from her; unlike the feelings of lust coming from most of the people, she reeked of murderous intent. Immediately, they both knew that they had found the woman they were looking for.

Opening his eyes he found Luke looking back at him waiting for a response. He took a deep breath, "I suppose now would be the time to contact your father and Obi-Wan. By letting them know what she looks like and where she is then we can all make our move at the same time".

"Father, Obi-Wan?" Luke called into his device.

"Have you found her?" Obi-Wan responded.

"You two aren't together?" Anakin added in a voice that combined annoyance and worry.

"No time to explain father. We've found both the twi'lek and now we've located the woman with black hair. Uncle is keeping an eye on the twi'lek and we're going to locate the other one now. You and Leia should stand guard by the manager's office".

"I don't like it" Anakin grunted, "but it's how we can all cover our bases. If something goes wrong contact one of us immediately"

"Always" Luke says then placed the device back onto his belt. He turned back to Ezra then changed his expression from neutral to curious. Before he could ask what was wrong he felt a hand on his mechanical arm.

"I couldn't help but overhear you boys talking about a couple of broads" a purple Rodian said to them both, "sounds like you two could use a hand taking care of them".

His hot breath carried a foul stench that made Ezra recoil immediately. He tried to shrug his arm from the stranger's grasp, yet found that the Rodian was unrelenting. "I think we're all set" he tried to tell him, "we aren't trying to kill anyone, this is a misunderstanding".

"I'll say" the Rodian replied and then Ezra felt the unmistakable sense of a pistol being pressed against his back, "that wasn't a request. You two are going to help me teach a lesson to those who cannot keep their mouths closed. I believe that the both of you are smart enough to realize what happens if you don't start walking towards the 'black-haired woman' in the back".

"Dammit" Luke said, but motioned to Ezra to follow him in the desired direction. With the gun to his back he followed his friend through groups of hot, sweaty men and women on the way to the back of the building. As much as he wished, he couldn't fight back with so many people around; the risk to their lives would be too great. The best thing to do with someone who had no regard for human life had to be letting them think they controlled the situation until a move could be made. Hopefully, that would be sooner rather than later.

"Hey" the Rodian yelled over the mind-numbing music once they came into view of the woman they had been looking for. Her eyes shot up from the data pad she was looking at then squinted in confusion at the two boys.

"The hell are they?"

"Why don't you tell me? They seem to know who you are Jhan" he told her.

Jhan looked at both Luke and Ezra making sure to take in every detail of their faces, but shook her head. "No idea" she muttered, "what's this about Menkyli?"

"These two boys are looking for you and Aili, why is that?" he asked causing her eyes to go wide along with an expression that seemed to ask 'me?' Jhan looked speechless, perhaps she had been taken off guard thinking that her and her partner had been so careful in planning the attack.

The woman's bronze colored hand tore through her coat with extreme speed coming back into the bright club lights holding a sharp hooked blade. She grabbed for Luke's arm, pressing the blade down upon his wrist with enough pressure to draw specks of blood. The purple irises of her eyes glowered into the boys face, "how do you know who I am?"

"We don't actually" Luke told her calmly, "you were in the woods the other day and I wanted to ask you for a date. My friends and I all think you're quite beautiful, but I wanted to beat them to it". Ezra had to be honest, it wasn't a very good lie, but when it came to saving the life of someone innocent then a lie seemed like a small price to pay.

Jhan began to move the blade against the skin of Luke's wrist, but he didn't flinch. "A more truthful person would shy away from this" she told him, "you are a poor liar despite being cute. I'll give you one last chance, and if you lie then you will die where you stand. How do you know me?"

"We saw you burying a body in the woods" he told her in the same levelheaded voice as before, "we heard you speak about coming here to take out a target".

"Then you must have planned on putting a halt to that goal of ours" said Menkyli. Keeping his blaster pointed towards Ezra's spine his spare hand began to pat down his body. The uncomfortable gesture made Ezra turn his head away knowing the cat was out of the bag. The Rodian's had moved up his leg then landed on the lightsaber that had been covered by his cloak. The man reached into his clothing then removed the Jedi weapon for inspection.

"What is that?"

"I'll be damned, it's been quite a while since I've seen something like this" the Rodian said as he turned the weapon over in his palm. His purple eyes digested every single detail on the weapon before speaking to his companion, "forget the club owner Jhan, call the others back. We've found ourselves two Jedi Knights".

"They're all dead Menkyli, surely you're mistaken".

"I don't think so. The robes, the weapon – another you'll find on your new bedfellow I'm sure, and the desire to do good? No way, these two are at least wannabe Jedi. From what I've heard, the Empire is leaving no stone unturned for these type. Whatever recognition we'd get from taking on the owner will be tripled by turning them over, think of the credits!"

No longer waiting for his grunt's consent Menkyli reached for his commlink, "get the ship ready, we've got ourselves a real prize this time. Set course for Coruscant and contact the Empire, tell them we have two Jedi for them".

Both of the boy's eyes went wide, sharing a concerned look at the same time. After what Obi-Wan had explained to Ezra he knew that this was a worst case scenario for the Skywalker family. Luke and Leia just became targets, and once the Empire figured out just who they were…it caused his fear to spike. They had to run immediately, getting away from this place became their only option if they wanted to stay alive.

"Luke, run!" Ezra yelled. He sent his elbow into the ribs of the Rodian causing the man to drop the pistol that had been aimed at his back. Quick feet allowed his to spin around, using his momentum to drive a metal fist into the chin of the man who had called them in. Ezra could feel his jaw buckle under the momentum of his punch no doubt incapacitating him in the process. Turning around he saw Luke propel the woman off her chair and into the wall next to her.

The blond-haired boy caught Ezra's eyes for a heartbeat before he picked up the confiscated lightsaber and they both began to bolt from their spot. Ezra pushed the first man he saw out of his path then another doing his best to ignore the rude remarks thrown his way. He dove, swerved, and skipped past what seemed like dozens of people that had their feet glued to the floor. "We have to get to the exit Luke!" he yelled, but when he didn't hear a response he turned to see that he was alone. Calling his friend's name repeatedly didn't help locate him, and the teenager began to recognize the first signs of panic in his chest.

Ezra raced to retrace his steps, using small nudges from the Force to clear his way, and ignoring every look or word sent his way. As he parted the sea of beings he noticed a grimacing Luke Skywalker trying to crawl on the floor, people watching from all angles, fascinated or horrified by what they witnessed. Luke's right fingers had blood on them which decorated the floor for a few feet form where he must have begun to drag himself from. Ezra knelt beside his friend searching for the source of his bleeding.

"Left calf" Luke told Ezra and he could see the long gash through the pantleg of his friend. The same hooked knife that Jhan had used to slice his wrist now lay lodged right above his Achille's heel. Every moment he watched the stain seemed to grow exponentially, and he may not be a healer, but Ezra knew when something important had been hit. At once, he removed he removed his belt then tight it taught around his friend's upper leg hoping to at least hinder the bleeding.

"Come on" he said using all the strength he had in his body to lift Luke over his shoulder. "Where'd she go?" he asked taking his first footsteps forward, and this time no one seemed to block his movement.

"I – I'm not too sure" Luke told him through clenched teeth. His grip on Ezra's tunic tightened, "I felt the blade, fell, then by the time I looked back for her she left. After that I couldn't get up no matter how I tried". The worry in his voice became crystal clear, his fear palpable through the Force.

Trying to keep him calm Ezra's strained voice rose over the crowd and music around them, "you are going to walk again Luke. If I can have a metal hand then you will be able to run or spar with us. Don't doubt that for even a second".

The hands that clung to the tunic around him began to shake, "should I feel it? Because if I should then I don't".

"I didn't feel anything when you pulled me out of that ship, that's how I know you'll be fine. Explosions are much worse than a knife in my opinion". The entrance they had walked through only minutes before came into sight, calling out to them as their safe haven. Eyes sifted to the two teenagers, one carrying the other with blood seeping into the white tunic that he wore, yet he didn't care.

Just as the music began to fade away and as fresh autumn air graced their cheeks Ezra dropped under the Force's guidance. All breath left him as his stomach hit the cobblestone ground and Luke groaned as pain reverberated through his leg. Ezra placed him on the ground stomach down gingerly then looked up to see the Jhan along with nine others dressed in brown, and black uniforms, some with masks others without. Most important though had to be the rifles and pistols all aimed at him.

"Guess Menkyli wasn't wrong after all" she said to Ezra as he faced them, "Jedi huh?" There was no point in hiding it now, she knew and dodging her shot must have proved it. Jhan signaled to her team, closing the gap between Ezra and them. "Resistance is futile, don't make yourselves more idiotic than you already are. Shit, if you come quietly then maybe you'll find someone to spend some quality time with before the Empire takes you off our hands, which shouldn't be too long now".

"Even if I was about to die you wouldn't be the one I spent my last moments with" Ezra said eyeing the perimeter around him carefully. His right hand reached down removing Obi-Wan's spare weapon as his eyes stared ahead. Positioning himself in front of Luke he placed his boots shoulder width apart and took a defensive position. "I fear" he began to finish, "that you underestimate me".

"We shall see. Fire!" she cried.

A barrage of red plasma came for his body from all angles except from behind him. The invisible hand of the Force guided his hands that moved the blue blade left, right, and center, all directions the shots came from. Compared to the normal array of bolts that came from Stormtroopers these shots were rather easy to defend against. There were less of them in more time, which almost made it seem like training. It could have been fun, and he thought about pressing the attack only to be held back by the boy behind his heels.

Luckily however, he didn't have to press on. From the corner of his eye he watched a large mass of black jolt from the club's stairway then into the fray. Blue plasma ignited in a heartbeat then cleaved Menkyli's enforcers at all angles. Those who ran were cut down as the Skywalker patriarch reared back and heaved his blade towards the stragglers. All in all, it was a sight to see, a true Jedi in the act.

"Ezra!" Leia yelled appearing from the _Raven_ 's doorway. She raced to her brother's side, scanning for any and all marks on his body. "What happened, are you both okay?"

He scanned her hooded form as he comprehended the gravity of the situation. Her worried brown eyes found his, seeking an answer from Ezra. "The Empire knows about us, they're coming".


	16. Chapter 16

**I hope you all had a great Christmas or Hannukah (hope I spelled that correctly) this year. Sorry the update has been slow, but I haven't forgot and the new chapters will be coming more frequently.**

 _One week after Ezra's disappearance – midnight_

Ezra's heart raced as he frantically grabbed every item he could from the Skywalker's garage. A hammer, a spanner, screwdriver, and a torch flew through the air into a crate he placed on the floor near Anakin's workbench. Quick steps brought him towards the far wall where all sorts of wires hung from hooks; he took all of them in two handfuls then stuffed them into that crate. If he could then Ezra would have tried to fit the speeder that looked as though it was a work in progress or the yellow detailed starship that sat in the center of the garage. Perhaps he could fly that out if the Empire showed up before they were ready.

Less than an hour ago the small group of Jedi returned back to the compound in as much haste as they could muster. Anakin attended to his son's injury on the way home while Obi-Wan nearly hit lightspeed on the roads. The moment that he told the two masters had heard those words escape his lips they sent the group home immediately. Silence fell over them like a cold wind, and they all had their tasks that they had to attend to. Anakin had left to find the Jade family, Luke had been left with his mother, then the last three had been left to gather what they could, because the very minute Anakin returned they were gone.

Ezra wasn't sure about a great many things then: he didn't know what would be vital or what should be left, he didn't know what the others were gathering, and he didn't know where they would go if they beat the Empire out of the system. For the first time in days his future became very uncertain.

Filling the crate became his number one priority, and everything he saw found its way into the large box. He just reached for another set of tools that hung on a pegboard when several small toots turned his attention to a small silver, white, and blue droid that rolled into the room.

"Do you see anything I should pack?" he asked the astromech droid. Ezra watched the droid whom he hadn't properly met roll to the yellow ship where it made more noises like before. "That's not going to fit little guy. We need to pack what we can, which unfortunately doesn't include Master Skywalker's ship". After even more angry toots and whistles Ezra responded, "okay...R2, that's understandable, but there may not be anyone to pilot it. When Anakin comes back then you can ask him, however I don't think I should be the one to pilot that. If it's your ship you flew together then that's up to you to ask about bud".

"Master Bridger!" a voice called from the hallway. Gears grinding against one another signaled the approach of the second Skywalker droid that he had seen in passing only. The shining gold protocol droid waddled into the room arms raised, "Master Anakin has returned with Master and Mistress Jade. I believe that now is the time to leave before we are captured".

"So it is" he replied. Ezra moved past the still complaining R2 unit and pushed the button that would allow the crate to levitate. Inner protests were quelled as his eyes took a last look around the barren garage. Whatever happened to this place was no longer in their hands, and it depressed him deeply. This home sheltered the Skywalkers probably since they had come to the planet, now it had to be left abandoned due to one small mistake on a mission to do good. A black cloud fallowed Ezra everywhere he went, maybe taking the ship in front of him to disappear couldn't be detrimental.

"Let's go guys" his voice called defeatedly. Effortlessly, Ezra pushed the container towards the large door that rose into the building. A cold, blustering rain greeted him along with the pitch-black curtain that was the night sky. Howling wind covered up the voices and movements of the families that packed their belongings into the _Angel_ whose engines had been running for some time. Ezra involuntarily shivered when the wall of chilled air brushed against his covered skin, but he covered himself with his white cloak's hood then stepped into the night.

The two droids followed close on his heels once he closed the door behind them, neither of them speaking at all. Their situation's gravity didn't need any explaining as they all knew that their fates would become tragic if the Empire captured any of them. Both that and the weather sent shivers rippling through Ezra's body. If it came to it then he would absolutely make sure that this family were kept safe without any chance of him being saved by anyone else.

The trio moved through the mud on the grassy ground around the corner of the house to see what must be the Jade family moving their belongings up the ramp. Ezra could see Anakin hastily carrying several boxes along with others that he levitated. The expression on the family and his new 'caretaker' couldn't be anything other than fright, because of his mistake. He bowed his head as rain poured drenching his skin and clothing, his fingers tightened with the guilt that tickled over his brain. The feeling clung to his body, his shoulders slumping as a result and his feet became heavier than just walking through the mud alone.

"Perfect timing". Anakin's voice carried over to him and the urgency in it only made him feel worse. The guilt became crushing to him once he began to walk up the ramp of the _Angel_ 's cargo hold. Ezra heard the Skywalker patriarch follow close behind until he closed the last opening of the ship. With sorrowful eyes the teenager watched the scenery of Batuu fade away into the silver/gray color of the ramp. The Jedi master ran to the front of the ship cloak fluttering in his wake, followed quickly by the droids, leaving Ezra Bridger alone for the first time in about a week.

The engines became deafening and Ezra felt the ship lurch upwards into the planet's atmosphere. Along with the planet there were eight lives that had so much promise left behind. The Jades had their shop where he had been only yesterday that now had to be abandoned. Then, the Skywalkers had their lives that they had to forget about at the drop of a hat; Padme's school, Anakin's trade both memories now.

Ezra dropped his head against the steel wall behind him then slid down to the cold floor. He buried his head in his hands and brought his knees to his chest in an effort to be as minute as possible. The very last thing he wanted to do right now was see anyone else on this ship, the shame weighing heavily upon his conscience. Experience should have prevented him from allowing Luke and he to find themselves in that situation, he knew better than that. Even if he didn't think of that then Kanan or Sabine definitely would have said something to keep them from harm. That complacency of his brought Luke injury.

How he wished he were back with his family at that very moment. When he screwed up there wasn't a whole lot at stake; their lives were in danger, but there never had been the possibility that they would be forced to leave everything behind. If a mistake was made then they would simply regroup, support one another and move on. Kanan would teach him, Hera would comfort, and Sabine had the ability to distract him or help him get over it. Ezra half expected her to come into the hold to talk to him about how it had been an honest mistake that he should forget about, she'd probably even show him her latest work – something that always made menial issues fade like dust in a breeze.

Ezra felt drained. The time had flown by, but it had to have been two or three in the early morning. The night had been long and it was only going to be longer once he woke up from his new mission of sleeping. Whatever consequences awaited him would still be there when he opened his eyes to the 'new day'. For now, he used his wet hood as a pillow then rested his head on his knees, welcoming the reprieve that came with sleep.

When Ezra awoke from his slumber his body shook steadily. His knuckles turned into a pale white color while the wet cold of his clothing seeped into his body. A sharp intake of air became unstable as his teeth chattered violently. If there had ever been a time in his life where he was this cold Ezra certainly didn't remember it.

Memories of earlier rushed back to his mind and any desire to seek warmth dissipated. If hot air against his skin meant facing Anakin, Padme, Obi-Wan or the Jades then he certainly felt more compelled to stay where he was. Freezing temperatures seemed more comforting than any sort of dirty or disappointing stare from people he came to think of as friends. Maybe he should go look for an escape pod now, at least then he would be able to relieve them of another burden and keep them safe. At least then they had less to worry about.

Someone approached the cargo hold and Ezra tried his best to make himself as small as possible. He should have known Leia would look for him eventually - one of them was bound to do so – they had to find him to let him know about his failures. After enduring such a berating then he would be held at lightsaber point until he left.

"Ezra?" her voice echoed off of the metal walls of the room, "where are you?" Her footsteps signaled her inevitable approach and he readied himself for the onslaught of smite. With his eyes closed the only way he knew that Leia stood in front of him was from the sound of her light breathing. He felt a soft hand touch his cheek, a touch he recoiled from slightly.

"You're freezing!" she exclaimed in a loud whisper. Leia's fingers removed his hood and she placed her warm hands on his cheeks. Brown eyes roamed over Ezra's shivering form ending at his eyes, "Ezra you need to go warm up right this second. You feel like you've been out in snow for hours".

"I'm alright".

"Why are you lying to me? You've not been seen by anyone since we left and that was over an hour and a half ago. Your clothes are soaking wet from the rain, and your lips are as dark as your hair. In truth, I've never seen anyone look so not 'alright' before. Are you hurt?"

"How can you ask me that, Leia?" His eyes searched both of hers for his answer. Leia recoiled slightly, and showed her confusion to him through pinched eyebrows. "I don't understand how you would come to me then ask that".

Warm, soft skin touched his cheek. Her thumb brushed over his cheekbone then down to his jawline and he felt the gentle compassion in her touch. Her voice came to him sweet as ever, "what's troubling you? You need to tell me Ezra, please".

He exhaled heavily, "it's my fault Luke was hurt. It's because of me that your family and your friend's family had to leave your homes. The life you knew and built is now useless, it's futile. Any chance of a life your family could have had is now gone, and that's my fault".

"How can you believe that?" she asked him with a perplexed chuckle. "Luke is going to be fine, the knife missed everything important. Without you there to help him he _may have_ been harmed much worse than he is now, possibly dead. I have you to thank for my brother's safety, my family all has you to thank for that. You can't beat yourself up for making one mistake that wasn't yours to begin with".

"You don't get it Leia" Ezra told her with a self-deprecating tone. He shook off her touch, preferring to look to the floor while he explained, "I should have known better than to scout out a woman's position on our own. There must have been at least ten different missions where we scout out the positions from afar, and we knew to keep our mouths shut as to not give ourselves away to possible hidden enemies. The point is, I know better than that, and I should have been better than what I was".

"There aren't many times when I've been in the face of danger, but I've been trained to trust my instincts, which is exactly what you did" Leia told him sitting down on her knees just within his peripheral vision. She didn't reach for him nor did she raise her voice. Every word that came from her mouth greeted him with understanding, and care. "There are plenty of stories from my father, mother, and Obi-Wan where things did not go as planned. Sometimes people were hurt or killed, but they did the absolute best they could. Be it the will of the Force, a deity, or plain coincidence not all missions go as we wish them to. Ezra, you aren't the only reason why last night went awry. Know that, and know that we don't blame you, quite the opposite actually".

"All of you should. Even if what you've said is true there's still the fact that lives have been torn apart. If you didn't save me then you would live your life just like the Jade family".

"Now this is where you don't understand" she told him authoritatively. Her long, pale index finger made contact with his chin then turned it so Ezra could face her. "Look at me Ezra" and when he snapped his gaze from the floor to her eyes he could see the determination there waiting. "I've told you that my 'life' on Batuu wasn't one filled with friends or purpose. Everyday we trained, ate, then studied every subject under the sun with barely any outside contact. My whole life has revolved around training for some imminent threat to my life, but there hasn't been a single occasion where I've had to use that.

Then we found out about you and your master. Luke and I leapt at the chance to find you both, and we found ourselves a new friend to be with. I'm lucky to have found a good, talented friend like you from that opportunity. You aren't responsible for this, but if you were then I would thank you as it's a fresh start for us all. Think about that, we could face the Sith head on or even join the Rebellion together".

The Rebellion. The Skywalkers and Phoenix Squadron could all work together to bring down the Empire. A group of Jedi and a makeshift order must be attractive to different cells of Rebels across the galaxy. Each rebel would feel confidence in the presence of the two most successful members of the Jedi Order. Furthermore, the Rebellion could have legitimacy among the peoples of the Galaxy. It had to be done.

"W – we s-s-should try to c-c-convince Anakin" Ezra stuttering from the cold cloth that surrounded his body.

"After you warm up" Leia told him smiling wide. She stood offering Ezra a hand to help him up, and while he struggled with his shaking limbs he managed to get to his legs. Following close behind Ezra moved with trembling legs out of the cargo hold, past the bedroom he had been stored in on the way from Lothal, and stopped at the door of the refresher. Washing away to cold as well as the lingering feelings of shame sounded all to good to him at that moment.

"Do you need any help?"

Ezra squinted his eyebrows at his friend, "h – h- help with what exactly?"

"Oh! I – I meant with the shower! That's all, don't consider that offer anymore" she said backtracking to explain herself. Taking several backwards steps Leia began to move away from the palpable awkwardness of the situation, "turn the knob upwards once you step in. There should be some spare tunics in the crates we brought in, I'll go find those".

Stifling a chuckle Ezra stepped into the bathroom, quickly undressed, then stepped into the shower. Trembling fingers turned the knob upwards and he was greeted by a rush of scolding water. His skin stung from the change in temperature, but it had been more than welcome after waking up with chills rippling through his body. The soothing feeling of hot water pushed Ezra into a sitting position where he closed his eyes, relishing the warmth.

What if the families agreed to join the Rebellion? Six – possibly seven with Mara – Jedi running around doing missions for the Rebel Alliance had to make a difference for the better. He could be one of the most experienced members along with Kanan, and he should be able to help them become accustomed to life there.

The corners of his mouth lifted as he thought about a strike team of him, Luke, Leia, and of course Sabine. Damage would be an understatement in regard to what they could do to the Empire. Any convoy, any arms depot would be up in flames after their missions. He imagined that they were unstoppable, they'd become the most successful and close-knit group in the Alliance. With them all on the same side they couldn't lose.

Engaging Discipulus again with at least six Jedi Knights wouldn't be like it was before. Anakin alone could overpower any single duelist in the galaxy, toss in Obi-Wan and the rest of them then she stood no chance at all. She wouldn't take them away to the Emperor nor would she take one of them as an apprentice. The Sith's days were numbered all because of this new resurging order of Jedi.

Ezra washed his body, hair, and face, feeling clean for the first time in over a week. The guilt washed away with the grime that had coated his skin like clothing. He felt refreshed, the resolve to make a difference came back to him in spades, and when Leia told him that his new clothes were outside the door Ezra knew that it was time to return to his true home.


	17. Chapter 17

**So the story is starting to come to its conclusion, but I already know what the sequel is going to be like and it's going to have much more interaction and drama in it. The next few chapters are going to have their fair share as well. Hope you all have great holidays!**

 _Eight days after Ezra's 'death'_

Ezra entered the main hull of the Skywalker's starship where the adults were waiting for him. Mara, Leia, and Luke had all been sent to another room so the elders could speak to him alone. Why they called him in here he couldn't be certain, though he felt nervous like he had never been before walking into that room. A deadpan silence fell over the room giving the atmosphere a dreary vibe that he didn't enjoy at all, and all eyes wandered to him once he set foot in the room.

Anakin sat next to his wife at the edge of the halfmoon shaped booth, their hands intertwined. Next to him sat Obi-Wan who rubbed his forehead as if to soothe a headache. Then finally, there was a blonde man with a red-headed woman leaning her head on his left shoulder. Each person had their eyes glued to him and he couldn't help swallowing involuntarily at the attention that was being placed on him. The Skywalkers moved down the couch to allow him space to sit which he hesitantly took before waiting to receive his berating.

A hand touched his arm and Ezra turned to see Padme eyeing him up the down. The woman remained silent until she nodded with satisfactory. "Are you alright Ezra? I can't see any blood or wounds, but are you hurt anywhere?"

"No Mrs. Skywalker, I'm alright" he said giving her a shy smile that he hoped would convince her. The inquisitive woman raised an eyebrow in skepticism, but otherwise didn't question him. Thankful for the change in topic he eyed the four other adults who seemed to be recuperating from the previous night's events.

"Just 'Padme' Ezra" she smiled back to him with a warmth only a mother could give. "First thing is first though, and I would like you to introduce you to Mara's parents. This is Mason and Salae Jade, they've been our closest friends for quite some time now".

"It's a pleasure to meet you Ezra" Salae said holding out her hand which turned out to be very soft and warm. The woman practically oozed unease into the Force around her, something Ezra chalked up the fact that her life had been uprooted in one night, and they had nowhere to go. "Mara told us about you the other day when you came into the shop with Luke. It's nice to put a name to the face".

"Likewise Mrs. Jade. Mara was extremely helpful to us when we went to the store and extremely kind. You both should be very proud of her" he said bowing his head out of respect.

"We are, thank you" Mason said.

A minute long silence fell before Anakin exhaled slightly, rubbing his hairline when he spoke, "now that we know each other I think a proper 'thank you' is in order". The blue eyes of the Jedi master made their way to the teenager who had been fidgeting with his fingers, "it isn't a stretch of the imagination to say that you saved our son's life Ezra, and for that we'll be forever in your debt. I know that you're probably thinking that it's simply some sort of repayment for doing what we've done, but saving the life of someone's child is a deed you can never repay".

Anakin took in a shaking breath and Padme placed her hand on the side of her husband's cheek. The Jedi spared a loving look to his wife, kissed her hand, and returned his attention to Ezra. "I hope that you never have to feel what it's like to have your child in danger like that. You're a special young man, and one we're all very happy to know. We trust you, and right now we're going to put our utmost faith in you".

He swallowed nervously but nodded his head in response. Sparing a glance around the table he could see the unease in the face of Jade's parents as well as Obi-Wan, which truly set him on edge since the elder man always seemed collected.

"We need you to be completely honest with us Ezra" Padme told him with an expression that was completely unreadable. She closed her eyes then exhaled loud enough for all around to hear, "we each have questions about the Rebellion".

Ezra's heart soared and the worry he had before melted into complete enthusiasm. Memories of his family came rushing back to him along with the hope that they would be meeting again soon. All of the hopes he had shared with the twins may come true. However, this wouldn't be his decision alone. These people needed straight answers from him, and even though he desperately wanted them all to fight the Empire he understood that these parents had their children to worry about, something he knew superseded anything else.

"I wouldn't dream of doing anything else" he told them all.

"Who's leading the movement?" Padme asked almost immediately. "Is the leadership competent, do they know what they're doing?"

"Right now we mostly take orders from Mon Mothma who used to be a Senator so you may know her. Before we joined the main rebel cell there was another Senator, Bail Organa, who also gave us intel and small missions that would hinder the Emperor's efforts. They're both knowledgeable people who have plenty of leadership skill. Personally, I think we're in good hands".

A nostalgic smile came to the former Senator's lips as her eyes looked into the space at the back of the room. Ezra thought she lost herself in former memories with her peers and probably friends. Padme turned to Anakin to speak, "sounds like the Alliance is in pretty good hands".

"For the most part I would agree Padme" Ezra told her, "yet, we never seem to act on the information we have. The Rebellion's leaders are too afraid to attack or they're too ignorant to see that we're already at war. I can see where they come from and why they're hesitant, but the Empire isn't going to crumble from words alone".

"What about capability, are there fighters, bombers, and enough to sustain a prolonged conflict?" Anakin asked.

Ezra nodded as he looked at the former Clone War general, "we have a small fleet of Y-Wing bombers, A-Wing interceptors, and X-Wing fighters. There are some larger ships that haven't seen combat, but we do have them. Other than that there seems to be a steady supply of ammunition and small arms that Senator Organa has procured for us. I think the thing we truly lack is military leadership even though we have a couple generals and admirals".

The Jedi nodded to himself and leaned back into the seat to chew over the information he had been given. If they were being persuaded then they showed no sign of it, but Ezra began to feel confident based on the questions they were giving him. Asking about leaders as well as capability meant they were taking this possibility serious, and since there was nowhere else to go he hoped that he would be enough to persuade them.

"Would…would they take ordinary people into the Alliance?" Mrs. Jade asked him timidly. She played with her fingers, a nervous tick if he had seen one. The mother's eyes looked pleadingly to him as she waited for his response, one that could give them a new home to raise their daughter. More importantly, it would give them a chance to have friends, to make a larger family than the one they had at the moment. Ezra felt like if he told her 'no' she would break in two, and that was something he could never do.

In an attempt to soother her worry Ezra smiled towards her, and tried to soften his expression. "Absolutely" he told her, "they would take any one who would be willing to help. A new set of hands could help in more ways than you can imagine, and with a great family like yours I'm sure they'd be thrilled to have you".

"But Ezra, we aren't very skilled. We aren't educated, and we ran away from…disapproving families before we could ever become something" Mr. Jade told him with a shameful expression. His eyes seemed to look away from the possible scrutiny that he could face. "I'm not sure if we would be of any use at all other than making clothes". Whether from fright or embarrassment Ezra couldn't tell, but Mason seemed to have tears forming in the corners of his eyes. His wife delicately placed her fingertips along the tops of his hand to calm him down.

Looks of sympathy and compassion fell on the faces of the other adults when they heard the confession of the Jades. They felt inferior compared to the former Jedi and Senator, that much Ezra could assume. Though he could comprehend why they felt that away he still felt guilty, and wanted nothing more than to comfort them.

"That's nothing to be ashamed of, not even close. Everyone has worth Mr. and Mrs. Jade, especially you two. On the base there are plenty of people who joined simply because they believe in what's right and what's wrong. There are those who were nothing more than beggars who found themselves a role in the group. Sure, some were soldiers, and some have been trained, but that doesn't make them any more valuable than people like you. You both have skill that few, possibly no one has. You may not think that may not amount to much, however it's going to be crucial to a group that's lucky to own only a couple things. I mean, think about it! Having a uniform means that you belong, that you're part of a thing that's bigger than yourself. It's how I feel wearing my robes".

A slow smile began to grow on the couple as well as the three other adults who sat closer to himself. The emotion wasn't full of glee or joy, but one of comfort and acceptance. Ezra took a breath slowly while the others seemed to share looks between themselves.

"I believe that should be all for now, thank you very much, Ezra" Obi-Wan told him with the grandfather-like smile that had become synonymous with the man. "Perhaps you should get some rest for the time being. We won't be making a decision right away, but you've given us something to think about".

Sliding from the table Ezra stood up, stretching his limbs as he did so. The stiffness in his neck faded away with a crack and the exhaustion he had been feeling earlier came back in spades. He felt more tired than he had in a long time, sleep suddenly sounded like heaven to him. With a light bow to his elders he began to walk away towards the ship when he could hear Padme speak to him.

"Thank you for all you've done for us. You do truly belong here if you so choose it Ezra, we hope you know that. The kids are all in one of the rooms that used to hold my handmaidens when I was queen, there should be plenty of space for you there".

 _Nine days after Ezra's death_

 _Whack_

What had been a long, beautiful, uninterrupted sleep ended abruptly after something soft but heavy landed against Ezra's forehead. He groaned and tightened his pillow over his head as he rolled over in the bed that Padme had told him to sleep in. It called to him, welcomed him to sleep on its soft body and he felt compelled to oblige it. Just as his eyes began to slide shut he felt another object similar to the first slam against his back.

"Mara, you probably shouldn't do that" he heard Luke's own morning voice say to the red head.

"Luke, he's been asleep for nearly ten hours. That's long enough to recover from any sleep deprivation for anyone. Besides, you two can't tell me that you aren't curious as to why our parents wanted to talk to him rather than all of us".

"Of course I am, but we should still let him sleep. We all know what you're like when you wake up brusquely" Ezra's friend told her in a hushed whisper.

Mara snickered and even with closed eyes he could picture the girl expressing her disbelief at Luke. She sighed then addressed Leia he guessed, "what do you think? I know just by looking at you that you agree with me Leia". The girl in question didn't respond right away which prompted Mara to say, "how about this, why don't you do it? After all, he may appreciate the gentle touch or caress more than a couple pillows tossed at him".

Bare feet shuffled across the floor and Ezra could sense that Leia stood above him. She hesitated with her hand hovering above the back of his head since he turned to face the steel walls of the room. He could sense her want to wake him up, to talk to him again, but she feared something too. He trepidation stemmed from an inner thought he couldn't feel just yet. So, rather than letting her eat herself up he spoke in an extremely tired, dry morning-voice, "I'm awake".

Leia let out the breath she had taken in then sat down on the edge of the large bed. She faced his half-sleeping form with relief, but he didn't turn around to face her. The back of his eye-lids sounded much more pleasing than opening his eyes to the harshness of real life. Lingering partial memories of his dream came back to him; a planet with a red sky, a sleek silver ship similar to the one he was on approaching, and a familiar gloved hand wrapped around his own.

"How did you sleep?" Leia asked him softly.

"It was going as well as I could hope until _someone_ threw something at me. Rather rudely too may I add".

"We tried to stop her" Luke added in consolation, "Mara doesn't listen too well most times. You can go back to bed if you want to Ezra, we won't stop you. I'm sure there's something for us to help with now if you want us to come back".

"'s fine" he told them trying to regain consciousness. His limbs stretched outwards in both directions while Ezra did his best to shake off the lasting effects of sleep. Running his flesh-hand over his face once seemed to finish the job and turned to see the smiling face of Leia looking down upon him. He smiled weakly at her and she did the same in return.

"Now that you're awake can you tell us what you spoke to our parents about?" the red-head asked impatiently, but in a much more relaxed tone than he heard her talking in before. Green eyes seemed to stare into the very depths of his soul while she waited, and it felt very unsettling to him.

Ezra pushed himself up so he could face the girl dressed in all black who sat at Luke's feet, her hands resting on her legs. Luke had his back resting on the headboard of his bed with the gray blanket pulled all the way up to his neck, but he also had his attention trained directly on Ezra. The need to know what they hadn't been privy to ate away at them, especially with the answers they sought right in front of them. Even Leia - who seemed nonchalant most days – had her eyes glued to him.

"They just had some questions for me, that's all" he said to them not knowing if he should divulge exactly what they had been talking about. Obi-Wan had made it very clear to him that these kids were the most important thing to the universe, and their dire need to join the fight for the greater good shouldn't be provoked. He made that promise with every intention to keep it.

"Was…was it about the night club?" the girl on his bed asked him with regret in her eyes. She had told him the day before that they wouldn't blame him, and she hoped that her assumption hadn't been wrong.

"Nah. They weren't all that interested in the night club to be honest. Anakin seemed to be grateful for…" he nearly finished that sentence, but his ego didn't need to be stroked. Hearing anymore 'thank yous' form them wasn't going to do much, nor did he feel like he needed them. "Anyway, they didn't care much about that".

"Then…" Leia's eyes seemed to grow wide and Ezra knew she figured it out. Her head turned to her brother quick enough to give her whiplash. They shared a look that seemed to convey all that needed to be, and Luke's eyes switched to Ezra then stared. Brother and sister wanted confirmation from him, which he was so hesitant to give.

Mara looked at the three of them unable to figure it out. Her voice didn't betray her body language either, "what? What did they talk about Leia? Luke?"

"The Rebellion" the older twin said quietly, "they're all thinking about joining, aren't they?" Ezra didn't respond, choosing instead to allow his head to fall backwards against the steel wall behind him. It confirmed their theories causing the two twins to begin to nearly burst with excitement. They leapt from their positions to embrace one another as they spoke words of promise to one another. Luke and Leia spoke of battles, of missions together, of bringing down the Sith like they were preparations for a birthday party. It caused Ezra's stomach to nearly churn.

The Skywalker twins were naïve about the entire thing. Battles weren't glorious, and missions always meant the possibility of death. He had nearly died on his last mission for the Rebellion and the family he had still thought he was buried somewhere in the plains of Lothal. Glory and excitement were two things that should _never_ be used to describe a battle that caused others to lose their lives in an array of violence. Battles meant killing someone, it meant taking the life of someone's son, daughter, a father, a mother, or a sibling. That wasn't something to celebrate.

Phoenix Squadron knew that fact all too well. The sounds of Sabine yelling to him over the intercom still haunted his dreams almost every single night. Her cries for him to come back with them, to try to turn around so they wouldn't have to lose him rang in his ears. His body shivered when he thought about her being restrained by Zeb and when he told Hera to leave him behind. To say that he missed them at that moment would be the understatement of the century. They would be able to help him strike sense into the two celebrating teenagers in front of him.

Rather than arguing with his friends though Ezra stood from the bed on his stiffened limbs. He watched the three teens turn two him, two with expressions of joy and the other full of uncertainty. Irritation grew along each moment they celebrated, and it came to the point where Ezra turned around and walked out of the room.

 _Ten days after Ezra's death_

Ezra had been meditating for nearly an entire day, doing his absolute best to center himself in the Force. Feelings of longing, desire, irritation, and fear had been so deep seated in him that they felt like they were nearly impossible to release. He had never been this way before, but if he had to guess he would have to think it came from the childlike joy from the twins compounded with the longing of his 'family'. One group would understand where he came from while the other may be hurt if he lashed out at them for feeling the way they did. The best way to avoid that situation was to simply hideaway in one of the deepest corners of the ship until he could center himself.

The door to the engine room whisked open without much fanfare and he could hear light feet approaching him. Apparently, tucking himself behind the ship's hyperdrive wasn't isolated enough from everything else. He sighed heavily and opened his eyes to an unexpected sight.

"Mara?"

The fifteen-year-old had her red hair in a bun and her hands folded over in front of one another. Her black tunic looked a little disheveled as did her trousers, he couldn't begin to wonder why that had happened. Most notable to him though was that the normally smug, cocky girl felt scared.

She mirrored his stance and knelt down in front of him. Her mind obviously had thoughts occupying its space so he gave her time to figure out what she wanted to say to him or ask. The girl's shoulders rose then fell with a drawn-out breath, and the voice that carried arrogance the day before had an air of fear in it today, "you didn't celebrate with them".

It had been a statement, not a fact. "No, I didn't".

"Why not?"

"Because taking part in war sounds great when you've heard stories that overexaggerate the few benefits it has, however when you're really there fighting against over fifty soldiers with only one friend by your side it's not as glorious as you once thought". He looked straight into Mara's eyes to make sure that she could comprehend why he held back the day before, "I've seen friends _bleed_ Mara, nearly die in front of my own two eyes. The Skywalkers saved me after I almost died myself to make sure that my friends could make it back to the Rebellion alive. I had never been so fearful in my life than when I saw their ship being fired upon and it had been smoldering. Their pleas for me to return with them still ring in my head and I can still hear them cry my name when they thought I was about to die. War is _not_ something to be happy about".

Dread inundated Mara's green eyes and he watched her swallow nervously. Her hands began to shake lightly though she tried to hide it by clutching onto her black tunic tightly. Celebration had to be the last thing on her mind. Instead, she focused on the potential dangers that awaited her family, picturing in her mind's eye their bodies laying lifeless on some planet she had never known before. Her face contorted as if tasting something sour when she tried to shake the images from her head.

Mara swallowed her anxieties for a moment and steadied herself long enough to ask, "does everyone fight or are their other roles to fill? If this truly is our last place to go…I don't want my parents to die Ezra, they're all I really have. They shouldn't be anywhere near danger. I'll be happy to take their place if that's what it takes".

"They wouldn't let a fifteen-year-old in combat Mara, you're too young for that. Besides, you'd have to train for this sort of thing and that takes time. You and your folks will be relegated to something that suits your skillset as will the Skywalkers".

"So, Luke and Leia…"

"Would be out in the field with me since they've been –" Ezra nearly said trained until he recalled what Luke had told him about Mara and the Force. "Since they've been raised by a father who knows first hand what combat is like. They'll be trusted more than anyone I know, but they will be fine. I would bet that".

She nodded her head, but afterwards remained quiet the rest of the time she was there with him. Ezra and Mara enjoyed a comfortable silence that he used to meditate while she seemed to think. Plenty of thoughts ran through his mind as well, but his must've been different from his friend's. He wondered how Phoenix Squadron was, if they were doing alright without him, and what they'd be like if he saw them again.

 _Two weeks after Ezra's death_

Sabine leaned back in her chair, crossing her bare legs as she did so. The door to her room was shut like it had been every time she had been in her room for the past fourteen days. The stench of the booze and the arguing between Kanan and Hera had long since driven her into her room. Thankfully, she had put in a request to be transferred off of the ship as soon as possible. Maybe then she could get a good night's rest rather than waking up at some ungodly hour of the morning due to the yelling.

Reaching forward to grab the canister of pills she got a glimpse of herself from the mirror that she had been avoiding like the plague. Her once tan skin had become incredibly pale, her eyes bloodshot and rimmed with red puffy skin, and the black hair she had sported since _his_ death had become greasy and brittle. She didn't care much about what she looked like anymore since she felt good on the inside now. The pain had receded along with every pill she took from morning to night, and that's what mattered to her.

" _Phoenix Squadron"_

Sabine rolled her eyes and tightened the orange jacket that had only been removed to shower. Her hand found the communicator then carelessly pressed the button to return the call, "yes Senator Mothma?"

 _"This is an extremely important matter Sabine, are you **all** there?"_

 _"Yes Senator"_ Kanan's exhausted and irritated voice called back, " _we're here and at your service. What is it that you need?"_

 _"You must all come to the conference room immediately, there's something here you have to see"_.


	18. Chapter 18

**We're beginning to come up on the end of the story finally! There are probably five to seven more chapters at most, and then there will be a sequel in the near future. As for now, here's the moment you've probably all been waiting for...with a twist of course.**

 _Two weeks after Ezra's death_

Ezra watched the leader of the Rebellion sink into the wall behind her, hand clutched over her heart like she had just been through the scare of her life, and perhaps she had. The normally placid woman now had her gaze fixated on Padme who stood impassive on the other side of the table that was between the Rebellion Leader and the group he had bene travelling with. He could hear the woman's heart thumping against her chest like he had a microphone right above it. She hadn't even seen the rest of the group, only Padme who was the one to call the meeting with Senator Mothma.

Once they had come into orbit around Yavin IV Ezra made sure that Padme was the one to call into the base. To him, she was the one who would be able to discuss the situation clearly, and her former occupation would most definitely help them meet with Mon or Bail Organa. He made sure that he had been left out of that conversation for the time being as he didn't believe he was the most important part of that news. Ezra felt excited about coming back to his him, however he couldn't shake the sense of foreboding that came with the sight of the Rebel Base.

Anakin had set down the ship at the assigned spot outside the main temple on the jungle planet, and they all were immediately escorted to the Senator's whereabouts. Ezra had noticed the evening sun setting behind the trees, giving the sky a peach colored glow that he had to admire. Off in the distance he could hear rumbles of thunder, and the smell in the air gave away the approach of the oncoming rain. It felt familiar, but weirdly distressing both at once.

Mon couldn't take her eyes off of her former colleague and friend. She shook her head as if to wake up from a terrible dream just to see that her eyes had not deceived her. "I can't believe it. I simply…Senator Amidala, I can't tell you the joy it brings to my heart that you're alive".

"Thank you Senator Mothma" Padme said with a slight bow, "we're all here to help in anyway we can. Although, there are some changes you should be made aware of".

A joyful laugh came from the senator from Chandrilla, "of course, of course! Let's begin introductions shall we?". The smile never escaped her lips while she walked around the circular table with her hands folded in front of her. She looked a little skeptical at the hooded figures in front of her, but waited politely.

"I'm sorry for the secrecy, but I'm sure you understand why we've been trying to keep our identities sealed. In the case that we weren't welcome here we had to make sure that our identities were secured" Padme explained.

"It's understandable. You must know though that you'll always be welcome here, Padme. Someone with your skill and talent could do absolute wonders for us all".

"In that case, I think you'll like to meet my husband, Anakin Skywalker" as the words passed her lips the former Senator couldn't halt the tooth-filled smile that spread rapidly on her face. Her brown eyes locked onto Anakin while he lowered his hood to reveal an expression not too different from her own.

"A pleasure to be reacquainted with you Senator, I know we've met on a couple occasions" he said shaking her outstretched hand.

"Master Skywalker! What an honor and a pleasure to see you again. It's truly a great honor to have you here with us and lending your support. As a matter of fact we have our own Jedi who should be here momentarily" her face grew solemn for several heartbeats. She exhaled loudly, "we had another, but only a couple weeks ago –"

The doors to the secluded part of the base swung open and Ezra knew who was coming into the room at once. Her recognized each presence coming towards them, each one filling him with more anxiety than he had ever experienced in his life. His hands had been tucked into his sleeves, luckily hiding his shaking, though he swore that the twins spared him a glance from beneath their hoods.

Anticipation gripped him as he waited for his family to enter the room, and once they did it formed into disbelief. Hera walked in first trying to look as regal as she possibly could, however she looked like absolute hell for a lack of better word; dark circles had formed around her bloodshot eyes, her uniform had never looked so disheveled, and her body language screamed 'unhappiness'.

After her came Kanan and Zeb who both looked rather similar to when he had left them, but they both had an aura of gloom clinging to their souls. They both held their gaze upwards unlike Hera though their eyes had lost any sense of mirth that Ezra had been familiar with. It also didn't go unnoticed that they stayed a healthy distance from Hera who kept her bashful gaze low.

Time seemed to slow down considerably as the last member of his old team walked into the room, and to say that he was stunned would be an understatement. Sabine's eyes were glazed over and bloodshot, her skin had become so pale that he didn't think she had seen the sun in several days if not weeks, and her clothes were absolutely filthy. Her pants had stains on them from any assortment of things, and there were grease stains on…his jacket? Nothing would have please Ezra more than to walk over to them, to speak to them, yet it wasn't the time.

"Ah! Thank you for coming Phoenix Squadron, please come in and have a seat. An old friend of mine came with her family, and asked you all to come here" Mon explained from her position in front of Anakin. The group filed into the room to follow through with the request, but kept their distance from each other.

Kanan – who had moved farthest from Hera – stood at attention, "of course Senator, we're at your service". It had been so long since Ezra heard his mentor's voice that it nearly brought him to tears of joy. The strain in his tone wasn't lost on him, but right then he didn't care too much. If his guess was correct then he would be able to change that immediately.

"Perfect! We were just going through introductions with our new friends. I understand there may be questions, but all will be answered after our guests make themselves comfortable" the leader told them all with a childish grin. She quickly turned back to her company, "these are old friends of mine, Senator Padme _Skywalker_ and her husband Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker".

Both husband and wife nodded their heads in response to the introduction. Ezra watched Kanan's head snap up from the floor to the direction of Anakin. It seemed like he simply couldn't believe what he heard as his serious expression fell into one of extreme curiosity. The others – with the exception of Hera – turned their heads to Kanan with the same expression. Their need to ask was nearly palpable, though they followed orders and kept quiet.

Padme moved past her husband with a discrete smile towards the two figures that stood to his right in typical Jedi stance. "These two" she said indicating to one figure in black, the other in brown, "are our wonderful children, Luke and Leia".

"It's a pleasure to meet you Senator Mothma" Leia said and Luke agreed quickly.

"My my, you both are spitting images of your parents! I hope to know you both more over the course of our time together, and I'm sure you both will be making your presences well known in no time".

Next came Obi-Wan who seemed to further bring Kanan out of his shell. The old Jedi master introduced himself kindly, and with a sense of ease that always seemed to follow the man around. Mon once again was pleasantly surprised by the encounter, however Ezra had barely paid attention to that or the introduction of the Jade family. He'd come to care deeply for the people he had spent so much time with already, however his focus and interest was now in the disjointed group in front of him.

It was so hard to believe that these people that he'd been with for years had seemed to have fallen out with one another in a matter of weeks. They were once closer than any blood family he had known, and now they were treating one another coldly, especially Hera. Zeb, Kanan, and Sabine were all as far away from the door as possible while Hera had barely moved away from it. She seemed so _broken_ and it tore him up. The others at least seemed somewhat put together even with their obvious changes. This wasn't the home he had come to love and miss.

 **("Homecoming" – Hans Zimmer)**

Ezra heard the soft footsteps of Mon Mothma approaching him at the end of the line and his breath caught in his throat. Now was the moment he had been partially dreading, and now that he had seen his friends he was unsure of their reaction. Each heartbeat seemed to bring with it an intense heaviness on his lungs that made breathing tough. Underneath his hood he saw the outline of Mon's familiar white dress causing his anxiety to continue rising until a sense of warmth touched over his body. It felt as though the worry began to drain being replaced by a feeling of ease that he wasn't expecting. Ezra knew at that time it wasn't his own doing, but one of the people standing to his right, and more than likely the brunette he had been partially avoiding for the past couple days.

"And who might you be?" Mon asked him with just as much joy as she had asked the others. She was expecting a pleasant surprise, probably another person from the Republic he assumed. All of the people in the room were expecting an answer; his past family looked at him with a sense of interest, his new friends and family wondering what exactly he'd say, and he didn't know what to do. Ezra tried to think of how to ease them all into his unveiling when he heard a poorly silence sob come from the area of the door.

Hera tried in vain her best to stifle her cry behind her hand. The woman's body fell against the wall then slid down until she reached the floor in a fit of silenced cries. All seemed to watch the scene in front of them, and Ezra noticed Sabine roll her eyes after glaring at the emotional twi'lek. Frustration rose in his body like bile; nobody moved to help her and no one seemed to care. He didn't expect Mon to do much since she seemed too shocked by the outburst while the Skywalkers and Jades didn't even know her.

The last hooded figure walked straight ahead to the only mother he had recently known with soft footsteps. Ezra could see the tears flooding around her closed eyes and fall over the woman's hand which covered her trembling lips. Her body quivered with each cry, and with each intake of breath. Steeling his resolve, Ezra knelt down so his knees were touching Hera's outstretched legs, and placed his mechanical hand on her shoulder, "what's wrong?".

She let loose a crying heave then shook her head violently to deny him any answer that he had been hoping for. Secrecy, discretion, none of that mattered anymore to him. His focus was on the here and now, and he _hated_ seeing this. It tore at every heartstring in his body making it impossible to ignore what he saw. "You can tell me" he told her softly, and he wondered if she recognized his voice.

Hera's eyelids opened just a hair then took in the sight in front of her. She looked right past the hooded Ezra and her eyes glided over the two families that were concerned about her. Tears began to flood again, and her hands went to hide her sorrowful expression only to be held by the metal hand of the person in front of her.

"You'll be alright, I promise. Why are you crying?" he tried to coax her again, this time softer than he had been previously. She tried to move her head away so she wouldn't have to face her sorrow, but Ezra brought his other hand to hold hers.

That seemed to work and Hera looked at his nose and mouth, which seemed to be the only things exposed besides his hands. Her voice sounded dry, unused, and as broken as her body, "these two families remind me of what _I've_ done. They have each other, children and parents alike, but I don't have that anymore. I let one of my children _die_! I wanted to save him, I wanted to bring him home with the rest of us so we could continue living imperfect lives with one another. But I botched a mission, and he had to risk his own life to save the rest of us – it's a though that lingers with me every second. Now he's gone and they all hate me, not that I can blame them, because I hate myself more than any of them ever could".

"Don't…don't say that, please" Ezra begged as his own eyes began to prick with unshed tears. His flesh hand clenched over the cold skin of Hera's in an attempt to soothe her. "I don't blame you for what you did, it's not your fault Hera. Please, don't talk like that ever. It wasn't your choice, and you did what was right for all of us".

Between sobs she chokes out, "h – how could you know any of that? You weren't there!"

Sharp intakes of breath compounded with senses of disbelief seemed to fill the air before he could even return an answer. Mon or the rest of Phoenix Squadron must have made guesses and who he was, it seemed to be the only reason for their surprise. He didn't try to hide anymore, and he didn't want to. The words that came from his lips weren't calculated or cryptic, he simply was trying to talk to Hera like he always would. If the others were truly ostracizing her then he was going to break that right then and there.

"Hera?" he said softly, and she brought her sad eyes to him again after staring at her hands. He released his mechanical hand from her weak grasp, brought it up to his hood then lowered it to his shoulders revealing himself to everyone. "I told you to save them, and it was the right thing to do. You saved them all like you always do. Don't blame yourself for making a choice that I told you to make, and besides" Ezra said while stumbling on his own words, "I'm here".

All other reactions faded to the wayside as Ezra only waited for Hera to see him. The guilt she had with her seemed like a parasite, and she didn't deserve that. Her eyes locked onto him with intense scrutiny, taking in every detail: from his nearly shoulder length hair, to his eyes, the scars on his cheek, the beginnings of his beard, and his fully healed body. From the expression on her face he could tell that she didn't believe it at all.

"No, no, no, this is a twisted dream. Ezra…he's…you're dead. We heard you crash, and your goodbyes. This isn't real".

Ezra took her hand that he had still been holding then pressed it to his cheek to prove he wasn't some illusion. "I'm here Hera, I'm alive. The Skywalkers found me, nursed me back to health, and after some time, they brought me back here. You didn't kill me and the Empire didn't either. There are so many things to tell you, but you need to know that I am not dead".

One heartbeat passed then another as Hera Syndulla studied the boy in front of her until finally the hesitations she had came crumbling down. Faster than he could have every thought, Hera wrapped her arms around Ezra and pulled him into a crushing embrace that sucked the air from his lungs. The woman laid her head on his shoulder, weeping openly in front of the room. Ezra closed his eyes, pushed himself further into the bear hug, and realized that this is what he was missing so terribly. He could hear her begging for forgiveness as well as repeating "I'm sorry" until it became a mantra of hers.

"There is nothing to be sorry for" he whispered so only she could hear him, "it's okay, I promise. I don't hate you, I don't despise you, I just missed you". Ezra had been so entranced with talking to Hera that he didn't hear the boots on the tile making their way to him from the far wall. He completely missed the sound of heavy breathing as well. However, he didn't miss the sound of a blaster powering up and it was impossible to ignore the feeling of a pistol being pressed to the back of his neck.

"Turn around" Sabine demanded through clenched teeth.

"Sabine, what're you doing?" Hera nearly yelled in his ear when her eyes caught sight of the gun pointed to his back.

"You're naïve if you believe this can be Ezra! We listened to him die or did you just happen to forget that? This is no more than an Imperial spy who must die for pretending to be him" she said through her teeth, each word laced with loathing and unadulterated hatred.

There wasn't much staying her hand from pulling the trigger and ending his life then and there. He tried to think back to a moment that would convince Sabine, a time when they had one another alone. It took him a split second, but he remembered, "at least you have a family to return to".

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" she commanded again.

He didn't move, choosing instead to focus on the wall in front of him while he still held Hera in their embrace. "It's what I told you when you ran off from training with the dark saber. Kanan had been drilling you relentlessly until he pushed you one step too far causing you to run off. I followed close behind and you told me about why you were afraid to return to your family. That was my response to you, that was me trying to push you to see past those hesitations and to see that you don't have to be afraid".

Quiet followed his statement, which was much more welcome than a bolt ripping through his neck. Slow as he possibly could Ezra released his tight grip on Hera to turn around to face Sabine. The gun hadn't moved when he fully faced his friend, but the look on her face had changed. Gone was the impassive look he had seen when she walked into the room, and in its place was a look of disgust. They stayed in the execution-like position until the pistol flew out of her hand and towards Leia who had been watching the scene with rapt attention.

"This" Leia said motioning towards the pistol in her grasp, "seems unnecessary".

Sabine continued to glare daggers at the kneeling Ezra in front of her. Emotions seemed to flicker through her face quicker than he could register, however he could tell that not one of them was joy. An emptiness in his chest began to form the longer she stared at him like an enemy. He had been wishing that they would welcome him with open arms, that they would probably be showering him with each type of care they were capable of giving. Needless to say, this wasn't close to that.

He watched her spin on her heel, moving towards the door as she was no longer interested in this meeting. Before she left she allowed herself one final statement, "Ezra Bridger is dead to me. Nothing will change that".

Sabine had no idea where she was or had show had got there. She had ignored the calls for her name as she left the room and chose instead to move deeper in the temple. The room was devoid of light or sound thus making it perfect to contemplate what she had just seen.

Ezra was alive all this time. He was living with some Jedi and his family who knows where, but not sending them any sign that he had lived through his crash. No effort had been made to contact them in the two weeks he left. Instead, he chose to let them eat each other alive, to let them suffer over his memory, and to hurt every single moment of every single day. Sabine's fist clenched until her nails began to draw blood in her palms.

"How dare he!" she yelled to no one in particular. The Ezra she knew wouldn't have done that to them, he would have taken any chance to get back to them. He would have made sure that the family who had saved him knew he was grateful, but he would have come back. This Ezra forgot about them in favor of a family of Jedi that seemed to care about them. Her face contorted when she remembered the girl who took the gun out of her hand.

That was the problem, she was remembering. Luckily, she had found a cure to that from Lando a week or so ago. Sabine reached into her pocket, took out her canister of pills then took one. To her chagrin it didn't take away the memory of Ezra or him kneeling in front of her with a pistol aimed to his neck. She popped another, but couldn't forget about the sound of his voice the moment before he crashed – a crash he had survived. Then she took another, then another, and another, never able to completely remove the image of Ezra removing his hood or the memory of his funeral.

Her trembling hand went back into the canister to reach for another when her vision began to blur. The room, despite being black, seemed to spin around her making the young girl feel nauseous. To support herself she tried to lay an arm to her side that gave out the moment she leaned on it. Before she blacked out the last thing she could remember was the conversation had on the _Ghost_ the day of Ezra's crash.


	19. Chapter 19

**I wouldn't call this a 'pleasing' chapter, but it sets up the last two or three chapters and leads into the sequel. Sorry, but do enjoy and bear with me!**

 **("Friendship" – Danny Elfman)**

Finally, Sabine's room in the medical ward had cleared out except for him. The healer had said something to him as she left the room though it fell on deaf ears. Nothing had really been understood in the past few hours except for the fact that she had been so damn close to dying yesterday morning. Had he not sensed that something had gone wrong then Sabine's heart would have stopped permanently, all due to some godforsaken drug she had been taking as if it were candies. The nurse had told him that they were 'uppers' and that they were illegal since there had been some cases where a user would OD then die.

Ezra let his head fall into his hands knowing that this had all began in his absence. Part of him tried to rationalize his need for denial, but there was no good reason for it. This had been his fault directly or indirectly. Had he not been so encased in helping the Jedi then she wouldn't be in such a dark place. If he came back there would be no reason for Sabine to turn to pills to soothe her discomfort. At that moment it had been safe to say that Ezra Bridger hated himself.

She looked absolutely awful laying in the hospital bed next to his chair. Healers took turns attending to her immediate needs then removed all of her makeup to reveal a girl who had an utter lack of color – a fact that made him utterly ill. Muscles that once shown through on her body seemed to fade away into her now bare limbs which were covered by a simple teal hospital scrub. It was hard to miss that her navy-blue hair had become greasy and brittle, probably from her drugs. Sabine had never seen her take kindly to being medicated – he was sure this wasn't going to be any different – this time though, she needed it terribly.

Hesitantly, Ezra closed the distance between his seat and the hospital bed to lay his hand over her ice-cold digits. There had been many times where he thought about holding Sabine's hand, each time they brought a warmth that would radiate throughout his limbs and face. If it was to happen he wanted it to be special, to _know_ that it would be the first step to having a different type of relationship. Her hands weren't supposed to be lifeless, they should have been encapsulating and when he rubbed minute circles on the back of her hand he wanted to check for a blush or at the very least some sort of teasing rebuttal. Instead, he got this.

The door to the room opened then closed quickly as Leia entered the room. He expected a visit from any number of people, but it wasn't too surprising that she came in first. Ezra didn't want to talk to anyone right then, and he was grateful when she simply sat in the chair behind his own. Leia was going to wait for him to speak if he wanted to at all he guessed. He could feel her hesitation when she sounded like she was about to speak though she chose silence over talking.

The girl probably assumed that there had been something to happen between them as he still hadn't really spoken much to her or Luke. To be honest, he just tried to avoid them mostly on their way towards Yavin IV. The way they celebrated going off to war really rubbed him the wrong way, he just hoped that now they could see one of the awful side effects of battle. Sure, it wasn't a direct result, yet it was the root cause for Sabine being where she was now.

The tension that hung over the two Jedi was thicker than anything he had been in before. A silence that should have been comfortable became anything but. As he rubbed circles over the back of Sabine's hand Ezra tried to think of ways to explain his behavior, each time finding them terribly inadequate. Telling her straight up may hurt the girl's feelings and that wasn't really fair to her, it's not like she knew what she had been doing. However, trying to dance around the subject didn't seem like a much better option, but it was the one he decided to take.

Swallowing the lump in the bottom of his throat he spoke about what had been on the forefront of his mind, "I found her near the temple's unused stairwells. Foam had been bubbling from her mouth and her eyes had been rolling back in her head. She wasn't responsive so I took her back here fast as I could. According to the healers she would have been dead in another couple minutes if I hadn't have…if I hadn't have found her there". Ezra's voice had begun to break towards the end making it a struggle to get the words out. He barely noticed the lone tear that snuck down his cheek until it landed on his wrist.

"You were there though Ezra, you always –"

"No Leia, I wasn't" he told her with self-hatred lacing his words. His eyes clenched tight as they began to mist over, "this is all because I _wasn't_ there for her. I could have send word to them to let them all know I was alright, but I didn't. There isn't any real reason why I didn't, and that makes it ten times worse. She needed me and I failed her just like the rest of them. It was almost by pure luck that she didn't overdose last night, because had we not come back then sooner or later there may not have been a Sabine to come back to".

"I'm sorry Ezra" she whispered to him.

"For what, for saving me? There is only one person whose fault it could be, that's not you. There's nothing to be sorry for so don't you apologize to me. It was up to me to let them know what had happened, and I didn't do it. You didn't threaten me or tell me not to do that. The more I say it the more it infuriates me, because it's such a simple thing to do". He sighed with unsteady breaths until his voice was hushed, "I hope she knows how sorry I am for this".

Leia picked up her chair then moved it over without a sound. From his peripheral vision Ezra could see her setting up her position to face him. He tried to keep his gaze on the unconscious Sabine, yet found it hard to do so with Leia's chocolate gaze boring into him. She must not have been willing to wait for him to look at her or wasn't going to try, rather she decided her current position was good enough.

"You didn't choose this path for her or any of them Ezra, I'm sure that isn't much consolation for you, but it's true. It must hurt you more than you could tell me, however they did this to themselves and that cannot be blamed on you. That's a valid point no matter how harsh it may sound to you. Grief affects people differently, it's a shame to think this is what happened to your family, but it is _not_ on you to carry that burden". The girl's voice had been filled with sympathy and compassion as she spoke to him, and it only served to make him feel more helpless. "There are things that are out of anyone's control, which is a terrifying. It's difficult to accept for any sane person, but it still must be. You didn't know that this would be a result, nobody could have done that. This also doesn't change the girl you've come to care so much about, does it?"

He shook his head lightly, "no it doesn't. This is still the Sabine I've come to know so much about for sure. I don't get why this was ever an option for her, drugs just weren't her thing".

"Your loss must have had a very profound effect on her for her to turn to heavy pills then I think" Leia said as she trailed off a bit. A hand fell on Ezra's left arm bringing his tearful gaze to her and showed him her smirk that thoroughly confused him. "Do you know what that means?"

"That I really screwed up and nearly killed her?"

In spite of the serious situation Leia did chuckle slightly, "no Ezra, it means that she cared about you more than you knew. To take such a dramatic turn like that can tell you that she not only missed you terribly, it can tell you that she needed something incredibly strong to help with the pain she felt. It's probably the worst way in the world to figure that out, but it works".

Sabine missed him? He supposed that would be about right since he missed her more than he could have put into words, but to this extreme? It was sick, twisted…and it somehow gave him a pleasant uneasy feeling in his stomach. She must have truly cared about him more than she had ever let him know, and those feelings were reciprocated. A weak grin came upon him after that sudden realization, one he wouldn't wipe off if he wanted to.

The crush he'd had on her never really faded away, he just learned how to hide it from prying eyes. Each day they were together he would steal glances at her when she wasn't looking just so he could try to burn her image in his memory. Every smile, every laugh, and each glance sent his way were things he thought about every night before his head hit the pillow. Those stolen moments drove him to try to sneak his way into her heart, but he didn't realize until now that maybe he had already done it. If only she knew what her touch or laugh did to him then he'd bet that she'd have said something to him.

"When she wakes up you should talk to her" Leia suggested, "give yourselves a chance to talk about that. After a scare such as this it would be the perfect chance to give her your support, and tell her you care what happens to her. Sabine may be strong Ezra, but knowing that a close friend has your back could mean much more".

Ezra nodded slightly while he held Sabine's hand in his own, relishing the feeling of it. It felt like ants were crawling under his skin in the area where their skin made contact with one another. He turned to Leia wanting to thank her, however he stopped once he saw that the normally jovial teenager's face became crestfallen. She didn't hold the joy in her eyes that she usually did, which made it more than obvious that Leia was bothered.

"Are you okay, Leia?"

The girl in question gave a very weak smile as her eyes found his with a certain disappointment in them. He didn't miss the way her slender fingers played with the hem of her robes or the way her shoulders had dropped. "Of course" she said and they both knew it was a lie. Leia stood from her seat, wiped off imaginary dust from her robes then made her way to the door, but not after telling him, "she's such a lucky girl to have a friend like you Ezra. I wanted to come talk to you before we're briefed on a mission. It was my other reason for wanting to come here, Senator Mothma wanted me to retrieve you for that meeting".

"I'll be there" he replied with the same dopey look he'd been wearing since he'd realized Sabine may actually _want_ him. "Thank you, for everything". She nodded in response then left him alone with the girl on the bed.

"It seems that duty calls" he said aloud to himself. His eyes trailed back down to the girl laying in the bed, her breathing the only sound that graced his ears. For a young woman so hellbent on fighting the galaxy into change she certainly looked gorgeous in her sleep, despite the scare that had come over him early that morning. He stood, but allowed his hand to linger on her fingertips for just a moment longer. Leaving was the last thing he wanted to do in that situation, especially when she needed him most.

"I'll be back right after the meeting, I promise" he told her as she slept. "It shouldn't be too long in there, hopefully by then you'll be awake too. Seems that we have quite a bit to talk about once you do, but just know that…that I care". Ezra resisted the overwhelming urge to press his lips to the top of her forehead. There would be time for that later if Leia was indeed correct, for now he would simply wait. As he left the room he took one look back, but missed the flutter on her eyelids and the way her hands clenched the sheets.

Ezra found himself walking into a very busy, and bustling conference room that he had been in just yesterday. Rebels were moving around the room at many different speeds all trying to find their given spots around the room. Standing in the doorway he tried to look for an empty spot or a friendly face, but found that both were elusive at that minute. He took a deep breath in preparation for moving among the crowd when a heavy hand fell upon his shoulder. Turning around he found himself rather relieved to find the shaggy haired Jedi who had fostered him for the past ten days or so.

"It seems that I've lost my children, my master, and my wife in the crowd. Would you mind being my sidekick for my first briefing Ezra?" Anakin asked politely.

"How could I say 'no' Master Skywalker?" he said with a light laugh that came naturally from his good mood. The elder Jedi seemed to lighten himself due to the company and led the young man over to a corner he hadn't seen before. There were relatively few Rebels there much to his content as well as Anakin's.

Just as the two found an empty space of wall to lean up on Ezra heard the Jedi address him, "how is your friend doing?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "she's doing much better. The reason I ran from the room last night was due to the danger I felt coming from her. The healers told me that had I waited any longer then she would more than likely be dead. I'm going back to see her after this, and hopefully she's going to be awake".

"We were all pretty worried when we saw you run out of the room, and when she pulled her pistol on you. From what Mon told us she's Mandalorian, which would definitely explain the instant hostility towards us, but it wasn't what I was expecting".

"Me either, it's a trait that should fade away with the drugs she had been on".

"Ah" Anakin told him while scratching his newly shaved chin. The man looked much younger than he had been before, Ezra wondered if it was an image thing or if it was from the new start. "Drugs can really screw you up, Sabine is lucky to be alive. Should you need a hand helping her out or a friend to talk to let me know, alright?"

The crowd began to quiet down as the Rebel High Command entered the room, but Ezra managed to thank Anakin for his gracious offer once again. Generosity didn't ever seem to end with these people and it was the characteristic he most cherished in all of them. A quick glance around the room didn't reward him with a familiar face, though it was hardly an easy task to find a small group in what had to be nearly two hundred Rebels. Delegating the task for a later time he chose to focus on General Dodanna who had begun to speak.

"It's appreciated to have you all in this room on such short notice. Rather than going through formalities we've decided to get right to the heart of the matter". Dodanna played with the knobs that brought up a map of Lothal much to Ezra's astonishment. "In information brought to us by a member of Phoenix Squadron we've learned that the Empire's presence on the planet of Lothal isn't just the TIE Defender factory, but something much more. There are shipments of classified material being shipped out of the factories, material that our source claims is for a 'super weapon'. It goes without say that we need a team to find out what that shipment is for and to halt them".

Murmurs erupted throughout the room as Rebels guessed what the weapon and the materials were. Ezra himself felt very intrigued at the revelation, but was stopped before he could make any presumptions as Mon Mothma called the disarrayed room into order.

"It's also imperative that you should be informed of Darth Discipulus' oversight of the shipments. The Emperor has sent her to personally oversee whatever operation is there, giving this much more legitimacy than we would have otherwise thought".

Ezra felt the elder Jedi beside him stiffen notably at the mention of the Sith. He turned to see Anakin's stoic face staring straight ahead like all other members of the Alliance. An outsider could've assumed that nothing was bothering the legendary Jedi Knight, yet Ezra had the Force that allowed him to sense the flash of anxiety welling in the man beside him. The man's normal composure had been compromised by the mention of the threat that endangered any person who took on that mission.

"Anakin, are you alright?" he asked gently as to not disturb him. The man absentmindedly nodded, lying to Ezra for a reason he still hadn't figured out. Discipulus was obviously a threat to his children and him, but why lie about that? It just didn't make any sense.

"In light of this new detail" Mon called out loud enough for all to hear even though all talking had died down at the mention of the Empire's second-in-command, "we ask that any volunteers be _extremely_ cautious on this mission. The commander will be assigned once the task force has been put together in this meeting. Are there any volunteers?"

"I'll go" Anakin called immediately bringing attention to himself at once. Some passed judgmental glances while others looked on in wonder at the strangely dressed man on one of the bare walls of the room.

"I had a feeling" the Senator said to herself with a smile, "thank you Master Skywalker. Are there any others?" The woman had to hush the crowd that surrounded her whom had erupted at the mention of the Clone War hero. Many pointed with their words hidden behind hands, all of whom were ignored by Anakin who simply nodded in response.

Before Mon could ask for others Ezra stood forward, "I will as well". Gasps followed the teenager's proclamation along with murmurs that circulated throughout the crowds. Like the man beside him, Ezra ignored them and chose to look straight ahead at the Senator. She looked pensive, but she had to have known that he was going to go.

"Your expertise will be most welcome Commander Bridger, any others?"

It didn't take long for Ezra to see the Skywalker twins raise their hands along with Obi-Wan, and somewhat surprisingly he saw Kanan do the same along with Hera – who stood off to the other side of the room. It seemed that the operation was going to be led by the Jedi of the Rebel Alliance, a fact that made Ezra smile in spite of the imminent danger he was going to face.

The mission cleared out soon afterwards and after he told Anakin that he would meet them soon Ezra bolted for the doorway, eager to see Sabine. Dodging bodies, he finally seemed to make his way through the crowd as well as the different comments about him being alive. The teenager practically sprinted down the different corridors to make his way to the healer's wing. Eagerness and anxiousness rose in his body as he neared the door that was now in his sight. Ezra fought the urge to sprint through the doorway and relaxed a moment before waving his metal hand at the door causing it to bring him to a sight he hadn't been expecting.

The anxiousness and excitement plummeted at once as his eyes caught the sight of an alien healer holding Sabine up against the room's walls. Ezra's mouth hung open as he watched the healer's hand trail up her leg, pulling the gown along with it until he could see the black underwear underneath. The strap of the gown had fallen down her shoulder to expose her bra that the healer began to kiss his way towards. The wet sound of the man kissing her lips, neck, and towards her chest made Ezra's throat fill with bile. Blood fell from his cheeks towards his boots as he heard Sabine nearly groan with pleasure with each kiss.

Her eyes opened halfway as she lost herself in the bliss of the man's contact, and they found his at once. The pale hands Ezra had been holding only a couple hours before ran through the black hair of the healer and pulled his tunic out of his trousers thus exposing the man's skin. She caught Ezra's eyes and gave him a Cheshire cat grin that made him want to throw up.

Her voice was full of ecstasy as she spoke to Ezra almost seductively, "I guess I didn't miss you after all. Close the door on the way out, because duty calls".


	20. Chapter 20

**Allow me to clarify what happened:**

 **1.) Sabine is not in a good place right now, drugs will do that to you as will someone dying**

 **2.) She didn't sleep with the healer, which will be explained in this chapter**

 **3.) Not everything has a very happy ending**

 **I wouldn't have made a chapter so quickly, however you guys all seemed to think I made her very 'easy' though I do have my reason for her actions. Take a quick breather, and all will be explained in this shortened chapter, which was supposed to be part of the next one, but I figured I'd post it now for you all to see what happened at the end.**

Night had replaced day once again on Yavin IV, and through the opened window Sabine could hear the calling of the night's creatures. Most seemed to chirp happily while others seemed to be calling for a friend or family member, but all calls seemed calming. After that day she felt exhausted from the short walks she had taken around her room under the supervision of the main nurse after her small tryst with the male nurse had been exposed.

She folded her quaking arms over her chest to keep them still for a little while. Evidently, she had been starting to have the withdrawals that the main healer had warned her about. They had told her that the shakes were going to get much worse before they would get better much to her displeasure. What frightened her most were the memories and feelings she had been immune to for so long, the ones she had been avoiding since she left Cloud City.

Fast and heavy footsteps were coming down the otherwise empty hallway, and she had a hunch that they were coming for her. It took Ezra long enough to come find her, and she stabilized her arms long enough to sit herself up on the bed's headrest then put into place her best smug look just to rub it in more. She'd explain herself of course, but for now Sabine was content to listen to him yell at her.

The door was nearly torn open as a girl with chestnut brown hair, black robes, and furious chocolate eyes stormed into the room. It wasn't what Sabine was expecting in the lest, however she wore a façade of indifference as the girl came to the foot of her bed looking as irate as Sabine had ever seen someone. A near-suffocating silence fell over the room as each girl eyed the other one, the one in the bed unwilling to budge while the visitor had plenty to say.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Plenty of things" Sabine replied conversationally, "I had a health problem yesterday, my arms are shaking, there's small headache that you aren't helping right now, but other than that…"

The girl in her room clenched her jaw, and if Sabine wasn't mistaken she could have sworn that a few objects around the room began to move slightly. The brunette extended a finger in Sabine's direction, "you were _awake_ , I sensed it. How Ezra didn't know I'm not too sure, but you heard every single word we had said. You heard him say that he wanted to talk to you after that meeting, you knew that _damn_ well then still decided to sleep with a complete stranger".

A small knot formed in her stomach one that wouldn't have been there if she had her pills. Sabine couldn't deny that as it was completely true, she had been awake for Ezra and this girl's exchange, but the talk didn't stroke any feelings she had for him. During that conversation she felt irate for reasons she just couldn't truly identify. The sliver of her that still held her feelings told her she should he ashamed of her actions, yet the majority that was still affected by the medication made her snap back at the girl.

"Didn't realize that Ezra found himself a nanny" Sabine said with a smirk that made her feel good. She was immensely enjoying pissing the girl off after she had come into the room to berate her. "Did you come to fight his battle for him?"

"Had he asked be to I would have, because unlike you, I truly care about him. From what he told me about you I would have thought that you would have felt the same. However, it seems to me that you're more obsessed with pointing a gun at his back and throwing his own affection back in his face for some inexplicable reason".

"You mean the affection he felt when he ran away with you?" she said calmly, but wanted to scream back at the girl whose name she was still struggling to remember. "The Ezra I know wouldn't have done that, he wouldn't have left us in the dark about that!".

The girl eyed Sabine for a moment with intense scrutiny. Her mind was turning over thoughts as Sabine sat their uncomfortably, but unwavering under her gaze. After a moment, Sabine saw the 'ah ha' moment come to her face. Rather than show a smug look that Sabine herself would have shown the girl simply held her ground as she shook her head.

"You did this because your feelings are hurt?" she asked with almost disbelief. "You broke Ezra's heart simply because he didn't write you a letter or send you a message? That's your excuse!"

In all honesty the girl had hit the nail on the head. Ezra didn't understand what he had put them through during his absence. Their family had basically torn one another apart until they could barely stand the sight of each other. He had to know what that felt like, it served him right! Yet…the part that stuck with her was what Leia – she finally remembered her name – had told her. She had just broken Ezra's heart.

"He needs to know" she said through clenched teeth before she could stop herself. "He should know the pain that we've felt after he faked his own death. It's justice and it's right. That 'death' tore us all apart in ways he can never know. On Mandalore –"

"We aren't on Mandalore you _fool_! That boy has thought about you every single day we were together. I've heard so many stories about your pranks and your missions, and I was hoping to meet a group of people who would be ecstatic to see him. A person you care about is alive so the first thing you think about doing is destroying him since he feels the same about you? That doesn't make any sense at all!"

"Why do you even care?" she finally did shout back at the criticisms from Leia. Her bloodshot eyes analyzed the girl unable to find answers that came so easily to her before. "You barely even know him while I've known him for years! Ezra is arrogant beyond words, and he's so confident in his abilities that he forgets what matters most. If he really thought he could come waltzing back to the Rebellion with open arms then he's more naïve than I thought before. Maybe if he cared about others –" she tried to say but found it hard to speak or even breathe. The hands that had been trembling before now felt like leaves on a tree in a windstorm as they went towards the pressure she felt on her throat.

"I would be very careful about the pressure you put on him" Leia told her in a very dangerous tone. Sabine's eyes caught sight of the girl's hand that had been in a vice grip position by her side. "There are many things that my parents taught me Sabine, but the one thing that always sticks with me is that you should always defend the people you care about most. It shouldn't be too hard to guess who that pertains to in this situation I don't think".

The door opened and closed quickly as the healer in charge came bursting into the room. Leia released her phantom grip on Sabine's throat slow enough to make the girl nearly gasp for air, which caught the attention of the doctor who asked if everything was alright.

"Of course" Leia told her with a smile that oozed innocence. "I was checking on Ms. Wren for a friend of mine to whom I should be getting back to at this moment".

"I heard yelling" the medic said demanding an explanation.

Leia shrugged her shoulders, "if it was my guess I would say it's probably due to her withdrawals. She seems to in need of those pills she was on and asked me if I had any of them. When I said no she tried to stand up to look when I made her stay back down".

The nurse glared at Sabine as she heard Leia's false words. Any refute from the Mandalorian would fall on deaf ears, and both she and Leia knew that all too well. The scowl on the Jedi's face returned tenfold as they both ignored the healer who was looking for straps to tie Sabine to the bed. Neither of them acknowledged the medic who had been speaking to them, but was insignificant to the situation as a whole.

"At least now you won't be able to hurt yourself or anyone else Ms. Wren" the healer said haughtily while tying down the straps.

Leia turned to walk out the door, but not before Sabine shot a few last words at her, "I didn't even do it, that was all for show. It's not hard to see your feelings for him too, but we both know who he really loves".

"It may have been a show to you, but he didn't see it that way, and it changes nothing. How long do you think those feelings would last Sabine? Because even if they were as strong as you hope they are it won't last forever, not after I tell him the truth. While you're in here feeling arrogant about your choice I'll be there to help him through this. We'll be gone for a mission on Lothal where you won't be anywhere near. If you want my advice, I'd recommend that you leave here before we get back and get yourself help. After what you pulled you'll be lucky if he wants to see you after that. I certainly wouldn't blame him if that's what he decided".


	21. Chapter 21

**This should be the third to last chapter in this story then I'll probably get started on a sequel in the coming weeks. The story I really wanted to work on is the sequel and this was the backstory to get to that one where things will be much happier after a time. I do appreciate everyone feeling so passionate about this too, even though there was near anarchy at one point, it's nice to know people enjoy it. Just a heads up!**

 _Earlier that day…_

Ezra didn't think he had ever run from anything so fast in his entire life. The image of the nurse running his hands up Sabine's legs burned into his retinas unwilling to go away. She looked like she was in complete bliss as he trailed his lips down her collarbone down towards…Ezra leaned up against the wall of the temple as he tried to catch his breath. After he and Leia had spoken Ezra felt completely confident about going to speak to Sabine about the time he was away; was he a fool to think that things would have worked out for just once in life?

Shivers rippled throughout his body though the hot, humid temperatures of Yavin IV never changed. Seeing the girl he had literally dreamed about, the same one he'd saved a place in his heart for, willingly give herself to a man who barely knew her killed him. Dramatic it may have been, but he felt like he was being swallowed up by the growing unease in his stomach. The feeling demanded him to move farther away from that place, to seek refuge in the expansive jungle that encased the entire planet. There he could find solace and at the very least be alone.

Dusk's sunlight tickled into the hallway from the open hangar it led into, and it beckoned to him like a savior. Ezra paced himself when he walked towards the light that filled him with a slight sense of safety until he thought about what was going on in the room he longed to be in. Too many times had he dreamed of being in the nurse's place after Sabine and he confessed their hidden affections for one another, the moment would have been a scene straight from a cliché video shown for others to live out vicariously. It was all planned out in his head, each step they would take until the tension was unbearable for them and their lips would meet tenderly. Mentally, he planned out where his hands would linger or trail as hers would snake around his shoulders before the night became even more magical. A dream he had been waiting to live out for years now lay shattered in the healer's wing after several heartbeats of watching someone take his place.

His feet knew what he needed so they moved quick from the hallway to the hangar then right out of the open doors. None of the people working on ships or moving cargo really stuck with him nor did those who stared at the teenager sprinting through, he just took off without seeing anything but the scene he wanted so badly to forget.

Trees encircled him as he entered the jungle; snapping sticks and chirping animals were the only noises that accompanied him on his sojourn. The only thing that guided him further into the jungle was a place that had been calling to him since he stepped foot outside. Ezra followed the path laid out for him in his mind and absentmindedly stepped over obstacles until he found himself on the edge of a clearing. A simple field of grass that was lined by the jungle around him sparse of any features with the exception of two logs and a stone standing up behind them.

After closing the distance to the logs Ezra sat down at them and let all of the emotions he had been pushing off come back to him. Before long the overwhelming sense of loneliness washed over him bringing with it tears. It felt ridiculous crying over a girl he'd never been with, but in a lot of ways he felt like they almost were together. Countless hours aboard the _Ghost_ were spent in her presence laughing, talking, caring about one another, and he thought that meant something more. As he buried his head in his hands he realized how much of a fool he had been to think that.

As if to add insult to injury a raindrop fell on his shoulder followed by an endless amount on the rest of his body. It seemed that the Force began to weep along with him for what could have been had he made it to the room earlier. Had he opened his mouth before he'd gone with the Skywalkers then it could have been him loving Sabine when she woke up from her recovery. A conflict raged within him at that time between the side that felt he owed Leia's family and the part that would always be with Phoenix Squadron.

"Ezra, where are you!" Hera's voice called out from the jungle around him. Ezra could sense her presence along with Leia's as they began to search for him among the cast wilderness. They each called to him multiple times with their voices coming to him easily over the soft rain. He kept his mouth closed as they came closer to him, should they find him then they would have to do it on their own.

Ezra didn't change his slouching position when he felt Leia break out into the clearing. "Hera, he's over here!" she cried out while jogging over to him. The brunette noticeably hesitated for a moment as he felt her check over him and take notice of his shoulders moving in synch with his crying.

A second pair of footsteps thundered through the wet grass signaling Hera's approach. The elder of the three immediately sat herself down next to him and wrapped him into a bearhug that sucked the air from his lungs. "Ezra, what's troubling you? Why are you crying?"

Rather than answer right away he simply leaned into the twi'lek's embrace and tightened his grip on her as he lightly sobbed into her shoulder. The woman loosened her grip in surprise until she clung to him like she had the day before, letting him use her shoulder like a mother would for her son. "Let it out" she whispered in his ear, "let it out".

Leia sat to his other side and he felt her hand placed on his back then rub small circles in a soothing manner. The emotional turmoil that had been plaguing him for however long he had been out here started to fade. Normal, rational thought returned slowly to him until he was able to put off the heartache long enough to breath regularly once more.

"Hera and I were talking when I felt the distress coming from you" Leia told him softly as the rain came down around them. "It was overpowering and so sudden. What happened, you can tell us?"

"Please, Ezra. Let us know what's wrong so we can help you".

"I – I" he stuttered as he continued leaning into Hera's hold. The elder woman pulled him out of the embrace then looked him dead in the eye with a look that told him to get on with it, but also held a great deal of compassion. "I walked in to tell Sabine…how I felt, but…."

"But what Ezra?"

He clenched his eyes tight to shut out the fresh image that had been tearing down his heart since he saw it happen. Hera's hand brushed back the long, wet hair that had been matted down on his forehead and the touch felt calming. Feeling a surge of confidence Ezra finally pushed it out, "she was with her nurse. They had their hands all over one another, kissing, and…"

"She _what?"_ Leia yelled in his ear, but making both Hera and he flinch. Both Phoenix members glanced toward the Jedi who was standing down at them in fury. Ezra saw that her hands were clenched tight and the scowl on her face couldn't be forgotten either. In his short time knowing her Ezra had never seen her so irate.

"It's my fault" he said hanging his head, "I wasn't there soon enough to tell her how I felt. We just assumed wrong Leia, there's no one to blame but me. Dammit, I could have told her before we left for that mission on Lothal; had I been confident enough then maybe she wouldn't have found comfort in someone else".

The crazed look in her brown eyes only intensified while she growled out, "that's _wrong_! She was _awake_ when we spoke about her. I sensed that she was awake the moment I walked into that room which was why I thought it would be best if we brought it up, just so she could know. Sabine knew what she was doing".

"That can't be right" Hera said looking between the seething Skywalker and the crestfallen boy who she took back in her arms to protect. "She wouldn't do that, not to him".

"From what he's told me I wouldn't think so either, but I guess none of us know her well enough to make that guess" she told them as she began to walk back to the base. "You two come back inside to get warmed up. I shall meet with you both in your quarters once I speak to the girl". Before either of the Phoenix members could voice a protest or another inquiry the girl had disappeared into the woods. A

An involuntary shiver shook the teenager's body earning him a look from Hera that told him it was time to go. She took his arms in silence then led him through back through the jungle with the rain and the wind being the only noise. Humidity still plagued him, but he still felt cold and angry from that day's events. If what Leia said was true then he wasn't sure if he'd be able to face Sabine again without feeling like his heart had been stomped on.

"You'll be alright" his guardian told him as she led him down the hallways of the base he didn't realize they entered. Ezra's eyes were unable to look up from the floor, he didn't want to find the eyes of anyone that would be able to see right through him. Hiding away in a bedroom seemed like the best option for him, keep himself from prying eyes until he returned to Lothal the next day to face his destiny.

The pair entered a sparse room with no decorations with the exception of several chairs, some lights, and a second smaller bed and bathroom. It wasn't what he would associate with Hera, however after everything he had seen with the rest of the crew nothing much would surprise him anymore. Though, he did have one question, "where's Kanan's room?"

"He…he doesn't stay with me" Hera told him when she sat down on one of the cushioned chairs. A lingering depression hung over her presence in the Force, and drew Ezra to her side. A single tear fell from her cheek which she quickly wiped away with the palm of her hand. A sniffle escaped her before she elaborated slightly, "after you were gone we fell apart. Like I said, they all blamed me for it so I got my own room. Apart from mission specifics we haven't spoken at all in the past couple weeks".

Ezra shook his head and spoke quietly, "this isn't right. They should be here to help you and you should be able to help them too. Ignoring one another isn't going to solve anything, just make things so much worse. This was the last thing I was expecting to find when I came back, but at least you have me now".

"I won't let anything else happen to you" she told him placing her hand on his cheek with a sad smile gracing her face. "You're the closest thing I think I'll ever have to my own child and I'm not leaving you again, I promise". The elder woman exhaled and collected the rest of her emotions, drumming a quick melody on her lap while she did so. "Why don't you go use the shower and get cleaned up? I think Leia should be back in few minutes with her family to talk about tomorrow. While you do that I'll find you some new clothes".

Ezra watched Hera leave the room in her own soaked clothing, but she didn't seem to notice or care much about that. The woman had a one-track mind with him as the primary focus, knowing that fact made him feel a little more at home. It was relaxing to know that even with so much wrong there was still Hera around to try suffocating him. She made it clear that he wasn't going to be allowed out of her sight for a long time – probably for the rest of his life – so with the ache in his chest that new policy of hers was quite alright.

Warm, fresh clothes were placed on his freshly clean body and he felt cozy sitting in Hera's living room while she took her turn in the shower. Softly lighting from the room's lamps gave the quarters a home-like atmosphere making him feel more at home. He wondered if he could convince the twi'lek to add more furnishes to the room since he had a feeling this would be his permanent living place for some time. This was better than having no one to stay with him for sure, yet it wasn't complete without everyone.

The door slid open before he had a chance to answer the knock and in walked the Skywalker family minus Padme. Anakin looked a little off put, Luke offered him a shy smile, but Leia looked even more frenzied than she had when she left them in the forest. The group took their seats across from his own then offered a sympathetic smile to him, and he sighed at the gesture. They all knew about what happened no doubt.

Unwilling to sit around with the elephant in the room Anakin had to break the ice, "will Hera be joining us as well?"

"Any moment now, she wanted to shower before we got things going" he told them.

"And what about your own Master, will he be here as well or are there other things that he's attending to?"

"I..don't know Anakin. We haven't spoken since we've come back to Yavin, so I'm not entirely sure where he is or will be. Kanan said he'd be coming on the mission with us, that much I'm sure, whether or not he'll be here with us or even knows about our meeting I'm not entirely certain. I'm actually not too sure about if Zeb will be joining us either even though I was hoping we'd have both crews working together".

Leia opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but Anakin placed a firm hand on her shoulder then shook his head to emphasize whatever point he was making to his daughter. The girl scowled and nodded to her father, knowing that her displeasure about Phoenix Squadron had been noted by everyone. The brunette chose a spot on the wall and tried to stare a hole into it as they sat there for a short time until Hera came into the room looking like a new woman.

"It's nice to meet you face to face Master Skywalker" she said extending a hand to the Jedi who gladly returned took the shake. "You have my eternal thanks for taking care of Ezra, it's something I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to repay. I've had the chance to meet your daughter as well after the greetings last night, you should be very proud of her".

"Thank you General Syndulla, I'm a very proud father of both my children. Taking care of Young Mr. Bridger has been an absolute pleasure and a wonderful young man to get to know" he said sending a warm smile to the teenager in question. "In case you haven't met, this is my son, Luke".

"We've heard many great things about you General. Ezra has told us a lot of good things about you, and it's nice to meet someone with your reputation for kindness and skill" the younger Skywalker said with a polite bow.

"Well then, shall we beg-" Hera tried to begin when the sound of the door opening interrupted her. Five sets of eyes turned to the entranceway to see Kanan standing there with his arms crossed over his chest. The man looked at ease on the outside, but each of the Jedi could feel his hesitations about being in the room with them all. Ezra spared a glance towards Hera who looked away from the man, biting her lip in uncertainty.

He stood in the doorway in noticeable discomfort until he cleared his throat, "Senator Mothma told me where to find you all. Since we're all going to Lothal tomorrow it would be best if I was informed on the plans as well, or so I was thinking. If you'll allow me".

After a moment of thinking Ezra realized who the question was meant for, and after the way Kanan treated her he wouldn't be surprised if Hera kicked him out of the room. However, she was the bigger man in every situation she found herself in. The Rebellion came first over petty feelings, and revenge had no place in the room when lives were at stake.

"That would be best" she said simply and the Jedi at the entranceway came into the room just enough to be part of the conversation. He stood a short distance away from the rest of the group, which made his former padawan feel a little hurt by the motion. The elder man made no movement to speak to Ezra, and the boy just hoped it was because he was still realizing that he wasn't dead.

"Alright then" Anakin began as he leaned forward on his knees. The man ran his hand through his long light-brown hair, passing a glance to the Rebels before he spoke again, "how do you want to plan this out General?"

"Master Skywalker, out of everyone in this room you have the most experience in conflict. Everyone knows about your reputation form the Clone War and how you were seemingly invulnerable along with Master Kenobi. You should be planning this out, not me" Hera told him flat out.

"That may be true" Luke said before his father could speak, "but this mission is based around stealth isn't that right? From what I've heard, that is not exactly a specialty of my father's". Anakin scowled at his son for a moment before nodding his head in approval of the statement. Luke then continued after sharing a smug look with his father, "furthermore, you're the expert of Lothal, not us. We'll trust your judgement on this General Syndulla".

The planning went rather smoothly just like Ezra thought it would be. Anakin and Hera were the masterminds behind the plan making sure every little detail had been accounted for. He had added a few details during the discussion, most of the time though he kept to himself. The two military tacticians decided that forming three strike teams: Hera and Ezra – since she wouldn't allow him to go with anyone else, Leia and Kanan, then finally Luke and Anakin. All three would find their way inside of the TIE factory to observe the shipments or if necessary form a strike team to destroy the potentially dangerous material. The last thing they touched upon was the Sith Lord that waited for them, and if they saw her they were to call for backup at once.

More than once he looked towards Leia who hadn't participated mentally or physically, she just stared at the wall to his left. The conversation she'd had with Sabine must've been weighing on her, and he found himself needing to know what she knew. The girl caught his eye once her brother and father began to make their way to the exit and her gaze held a look of sadness that he hadn't seen before. The pit in his stomach returned worse than before.

Leia licked her lips slowly in preparation then knelt in front of him, gazing into his eyes earnestly. Without a word being said he knew that whatever she had to tell him wasn't going to be good. Ezra nodded to her then braced himself for the information she had to tell him, and when she spoke it came in a sweet, quiet voice that made each word almost casually cruel. "She didn't sleep with him Ezra, it was just for show".

"For show?"

She nodded while her chocolate brown eyes kept contact with his own. "Sabine did it to hurt you. She wanted you to see that because she thought that you deserved to be hurt like she had been when you left and didn't contact them. In her mind this – this disgusting act was justified. For some reason she wants you to hurt since it's how she feels. I'm so sorry Ezra, I shouldn't have said anything".

"You were helping me, don't say sorry. Should I talk to her?" he asked her in a helpless, pathetic voice that sounded so strange to him.

"That's up to you".

Ezra felt it coming, and wanted to stop it. Knowing that the one person you cared for most wanted to harm you in the most cruel way imaginable tore the last of his hear apart. If she loved him like he wanted her to then Sabine would never have done that. In that same position he would have done anything else before hurting her in the most sensitive place. She wasn't the same though, Sabine didn't care about that. Once he finally realized that he all but fell into Leia's arms and cried.

 **("Let Her Cry" – Hootie and the Blowfish)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Last chapter before the Epilogue, which will take place right before the follow up! There won't be any more sleeping round or drugs, but there's still a warning. The sequel has to have a good plot and since that's the story I wanted to write I think it'll be better. Keep that in mind before you comment your opinions on this last chapter since you're all nothing if not passionate. This chapter takes a new perspective as well, which is different, but I'll delve into at the end. Enjoy!**

Sunlight crept into his room much sooner than he had wanted it to, not that it interrupted his sleep, but it signaled a day he had been thinking about for years. As a matter of fact, sleep had proven as elusive to him as a life of peace. The Jedi was glad that it hadn't graced him as each dream it brought would've been filled with memories of his failures. He didn't need that weighing on his mind right beforehand, it would only serve to distract him.

Rolling over he found himself burying his face in chestnut brown locks that tickled his nose. In spite of the dread that had been swelling in his stomach he found himself smiling for the first time in days. The mechanical hand he had grown accustomed to wrapped around the waist of the woman he loved nearly more than anything. She stirred under his touch, and he almost regretted pulling her close to him.

"Ani?" Padme's morning voice spoke to him as she woke from her slumber. Anakin's grip on his wife's waist tightened like a lifeline as thoughts the day ahead lingered on. The former Senator turned over in their bed and gazed into his blue eyes with the concern only a wife could show. "You're afraid, aren't you?"

"Is it that obvious?" he asked melting into the hand she brought to his cheek.

A small intake of breath followed Padme's caress of his cheek, and she placed a tender kiss on his lips that still managed to make his toes wiggle in glee. "The children have noticed you acting differently, they mentioned it to me. You haven't been acting like yourself ever since we attended the briefing and it's obvious why".

"This nightmare has to end soon Padme. I need the girl I trained back, not the one Palpatine has manipulated for years. She's in there somewhere, she's got to be".

"Ahsoka _is_ in there Anakin, you have to continue believing that. Don't give up on her now or else she's doomed to a fate worse than just being Discipulus. We've spoken about this for years and we both know that you aren't going to give up on her, this is the day we've been waiting for. You just have to bring her home this time Ani" she whispered to him with a smile.

For a moment, he allowed himself to push the thoughts of his fallen student from his mind just so he could enjoy that moment. The hand that held his wedding ring ran through the strands of Padme's hair which had cascaded onto their pillow. She closed her eyes in bliss, reveling in the feeling of the open display of love that they'd been forced to hide for so long. Times like those had them forgetting they were in their forties, and it had him wishing for so much to have been different mixed with similarities from this time.

Anakin finally whispered with closed eyes, "I have to go now".

"I know".

One tender kiss followed two others causing the former Senator to giggle like a lovestruck newlywed. Her brown, love-filled eyes traced over his features committing them to her memory before she trailed her soft fingers over his cheek. "You bring my children and yourself back to me Anakin. Promise me".

After placing one last kiss in her palm he did just that, "I promise I'll be back with all of us. I love you".

"I love you too".

. . .

Anakin had just finished dressing himself in his tunics when he stepped out of the door and into a young woman whom he didn't recognize. He placed his arms on the girl's thin shoulders to keep her from buckling under the strength of his accidental push. A moment passed before she became composed, but the woman who dressed herself like a nurse handed a datapad to him wordlessly.

"And this is…" he said waiting for details. Her shoulders rose then fell with each breath and she tried to gather her strength to speak. Obviously, she wasn't very healthy, her skin being paler than he had seen previous, however he kept his mouth closed while she thought through her response. Suspicion rose within the former Jedi, this wasn't rehearsed nor was it a message from another person or else that would be the end of it.

"A message for Ezra Bridger" she commented. Purple eyes darted away from him as the realization of who she was hit him. He nodded once very slowly while he stared at the girl who almost seemed to break under his gaze.

"This shouldn't be coming from me" he motioned to her, "why don't you do it? Seems easy enough, doesn't it Sabine?". Surprise rolled of off the girl for a moment before she collected herself then returned her gaze to his chest, purposefully avoiding eye contact. "Yes, I'm fully aware of who you are. The past two days here have enlightened me in more ways than I thought possible, one of which revolved around you. My children told me what happened yesterday after Ezra disappeared for some time then when he nearly had a break down when Leia told him your 'rationale' behind your actions. Take that datapad and give it to him yourself. Don't take the coward's way out, give him respect and show courage".

Whatever answer he was thinking of receiving it wasn't the one he got. "There is no more courage. After what I've done I don't want to face him, there's too much shame inside me. Nobody else would deliver that message…at least no one who could face me. This place has become too painful for me to bear and it carries memories that I wish to forget. Give that to him".

"So you're deciding to leave rather than face the consequences of your actions?"

Sabine swallowed the slight bubble that had formed in her throat. "Yes" she whispered.

Anakin shook his head in disgust. A child she may be, yet his own children would never show that sort of cowardice. He knew well that heartache was the worst kind of pain, a special hurt that lingered without mercy. "If you do this then don't come back" he told her causing a slight mist to form in her vision. "You're leaving him to deal with this on his own when we both know very well that you could help solve this problem. Get help, clean yourself up, and become a better person. I can't tell you that you have my respect, however for his sake I hope you become healthy, because one day you're going to see him again and you better be damned sure that there's nothing to stop that talk from occuring".

With disdainful eyes the Jedi watched the girl place the device on the ground then back away. The frail young woman walked slowly away from him as they held eye contact; in those short minutes before she rounded the corner Anakin caught the pain in her own eyes, the surrender in her mannerisms, both signs telling him she had given up on herself. For a moment he stood alone in the corridor shaking his head before he called the datapad to him and began to make his way toward the galley for a quick breakfast.

. . .

The busy morning became much more so after Anakin found a booth in the nearly empty galley, just the way he liked it. No prying eyes or incessant inquiries could interrupt his already busy thoughts. Tables were sparsely populated by barley awake technicians and what looked to be pilots who dozed off making the former General smile. He had just sat down when another presence slid in across from him and he sighed knowing very well that the food on his tray was about to go cold.

"Master Skywalker, may I join you?" Kanan asked.

He would have shrugged in acceptance though it would have gone unnoticed. "You may, though I'm sure that even if I said 'no' it wouldn't change your mind Master Dume".

"You remember me?"

"Both Obi-Wan and I do. We had a talk yesterday night in regard to everything that's been going on, naturally you came up. The old man has a better memory than I, however we both recall seeing you and your Master around the halls of the temple every now and then".

The blind Jedi rubbed his chin, "that does sound right. It's been quite some time Master Skywalker and having you around will help us all more than you know".

Anakin placed down his fork beside the plate that had already started to lose its steam. Frowning at the plate he accepted that breakfast was going to be a little less enjoyable today, though this conversation held importance to both men. "The flattery is appreciated Caleb. Unlike twenty years ago though it won't help you much, there's something else on your mind that I'd be happy to help you with. If you need advice, ask".

Kanan took a deep breath and placed his palms down on the table to settle himself. "I don't know what to do about Ezra. Seeing him alive has brought feelings of joy along with confusion. Everything fell apart once we thought he died, not that he's alive I'm not sure what to do".

"You aren't the only one" he whispered so quietly that Kanan couldn't have heard him unless he was expecting to hear those words. Why both members of Phoenix Squadron sought him out he wasn't sure, but he wished they would have done their problem solving alone. Ahsoka should have taken up his mental space along with the worry that came with seeing her once more. Hoping to clear his plate in order to focus he gave advice, "Caleb, you have faced droid armies, the Empire, and a Sith Lord, this should be the least worrisome thing you've done. The boy is remarkable in almost every single sense of the word, you all deserve congratulations for that. Since you've all raised him it shouldn't come as a surprise that he's sensitive to you all. Explain your feelings to him, show him how happy you are even though you feel confused. The longer you keep this to yourself the more harm you do, so fix this before we leave".

"I…what…" Kanan became frustrated over his stuttering and lack of words that flowed from his body. Anakin raised an eyebrow in response then became relieved when the former Jedi stood from his place at the table. "Thank you, it will be taken care of. We'll be off soon, I'll see you on the ship".

The man left the room in a hurry to go find his student leaving Anakin happily alone. With a exhale full of content he just placed a piece of lukewarm food on his silverware when another person slid across the table from him and another pushing him over forcefully until he was pinned against the wall. The fork he had been holding dropped onto his plate and he groaned loudly realizing he had company. He was about to tell the two intruders off when he saw that they were his own to children. "Oh, it's you".

"Expecting someone else?" Luke asked as he settled himself next to his father. The boy speared a piece of fruit off of Anakin's plate with a knife, which the elder Skywalker immediately took from his son to eat.

"After the morning I've had I certainly wasn't hoping for anymore company, though you two are always an exception to that" he said smiling at his twins, the light of his life. "Two members of Phoenix Squadron is more than enough for me before breakfast".

"Anything interesting?" his son followed up eyeing the plate of food in front of his father.

"The first one yes, the second not so much. You two thought we had problems – Luke stop taking my food! Get your own!'"

Father and daughter watched at the petulant Luke moved to collect his own breakfast making Anakin feel quite victorious over his child for the first time in a long one. "Well then" his daughter said with a smile creeping up on her lips. The girl who looked to be a clone of her mother turned her attention back to her father with a poorly formed neutral expression. "Who was it?"

"That's not your concern Leia. Who they were will stay with me until the person whom it concerns tells you about it as I'm sure he will. I understand why you're so protective, just loosen your grip a little and let the situation play out. There shouldn't be much to be jealous over now".

"Jealous?" she asked incredulously. "Father, I'm _not_ jealous of anyone. You and Mother have both given me plenty to prevent such a condition".

"Everything except for the one thing I cherished most before you were born" he corrected her. An understanding passed between them as she realized what he meant, a slight blush falling upon her cheeks once she figured it out. He snickered slightly before hiding his mirth from his scowling daughter behind a cup of water.

"Don't force it" he advised, "should it happen then it will be so. However, if it doesn't then there is plenty out there for you, Princess". Leia offered him a weak smile in return before losing herself in thought.

Comfortable silence fell over the pair even when Luke returned to them. The boy looked between his family members quickly before diving into his own plate of food happily. It had been comfortable between them though Anakin's thoughts were far less pleasant; try as he may the Skywalker patriarch couldn't remove the images of his former student causing harm to his children, their friend, or himself.

"Father, are you alright?"

"I will be once today is over. Let's just enjoy our breakfast before we move out, okay? Just a lot on my mind".

. . .

Rebel strike team 'Liberte' sat in the hull of the _Ghost_ awaiting the moment they touched down on Lothal's surface. Tense excitement fell over each member of the team as they awaited the imminent moment of touchdown on the deadened surface of Ezra's home planet. Adrenaline was the only thing keeping the teenager awake at that moment, the lack of sleep from the night before left him borderline exhausted despite his best efforts to the contrary. He ended up staring at the ceiling in his bedroom for most of the night wondering about what Leia had told him. Food hadn't been attractive that morning – he'd lost his appetite the night before – nor had any sort of conversation. If it weren't for this mission he doubted he'd be out of bed.

Once Hera had emerged from the cabin to announce their arrival in the system she sat down next to him since Chopper had taken the controls. Putting his acting skills to the test he offered the woman a smile which she gladly returned. The less she suspected the lower the chance of her asking if something bothered him. Hera chose instead to sit next to him, and he enjoyed the comfort she gave him at the time.

He watched as Luke, Leia, and Anakin spoke to one another – no doubt about the mission ahead of them. The two children listened intently as their father spoke and he found himself truly thankful that they had someone of Anakin's skill on this endeavor. The opportunity to serve with a true Jedi Master seemed almost too good to be true, not that it could replace Kanan. Remembering that his friend was on the trip too Ezra turned to look for him, then backed up in surprise when the man was found to the seat next to him.

Noticing that he had Ezra's attention Kanan found his voice, "do you have a minute to talk?" Ezra nodded in response, so the blind Jedi continued, "this is a talk I should have commenced sooner, for that I apologize. Having you back means more to me than you can know, it's a moment I dreamed about during the time you were away. Now that you're back it's almost as if I forgot what it's like to have you around, and I don't know how to act. That may not make very much sense, but it's the truth unfortunately. A lot has changed in ten days Ezra, but don't mistake my handling of this as a degradation of my care for you".

A smile overcame the glum expression he'd been wearing the past couple days. Relief filled his veins and a weight lifted off of his shoulders. "Makes sense. It's been tough for me too, Kanan, so I understand. I'm just happy that you aren't angry with me for not telling you guys".

"Angry? Never for this. In fact, that's the last thing that I'm feeling right now. You've managed to bring back the two greatest Jedi we had in the Clone War along with two more powerful prospects, I couldn't be happier. Things will return to normal soon, just give it time".

Kanan seemed unsure of what to do next, but when Ezra embraced his old friend the man returned it gladly. Normalcy wasn't going to come easily, especially with Sabine and the rest of the group's hostility to Hera, though he had confidence it would in time. Just when that time would be was another question entirely.

. . .

Strike Team Liberte found their way to the same compound that they had stolen the TIE Defender from only three weeks before. Chopper had held the _Ghost_ only a few feet above ground and they made a hasty exit before the droid piloted the ship far away from prying eyes. Under cover of night they had found themselves pinned up against one of the many containers that lined the perimeter of the factory waiting for their moment to move. Stormtroopers could be heard moving containers out and about the base along with the loud voice of their commanding officer.

"Remember your tasks" Hera whispered to them all. "We're here for information first, destruction if possible second. No one will be lost tonight, is that clear?"

"This is going to be quick, and with stealth" Anakin added after nods from the kids. "Learn what you can, but the _second_ you hear a guard approach you run. This isn't a mission worth hurting yourself on, got it?" More nods came in response and he gave a final nod to the twi'lek who composed herself in a manner that Ezra was used to.

"Move!" Hera whispered and the three teams separated in their designated directions only to find themselves blinded by light. Each Rebel shielded their eyes from the painful blast of white energy, and felt themselves being pressed into the dead grass of the Lothal plains.

As they were being placed in cuffs they could hear Stormtroopers yell to them, "move and you all die!" The words rung in the ears of the five Jedi and Hera as they were dragged from their spots behind the crates. The group hadn't moved more than a few feet in each direction when they were ambushed, and none of the six could figure out how they'd been spotted.

Anakin and the rest of the group found themselves kneeling in the middle of the airstrip once their eyesight returned. Floodlights pinned them at their current position and the Jedi Master could see squadrons of Stormtroopers aiming their rifles at each of them. To make matters worse there were two walkers further keeping them stationary. In short, if they moved the Jedi Order would be no more, even with Obi-Wan.

They didn't want them dead, at least for the moment. Had they been ordered to kill the Rebels then Anakin knew they wouldn't have been dragged into the middle of so many curious eyes. No, he knew this was for something else, and if he had his guess he would figure it had to do with the Empire's ranking officer. He spared a look to his children and found pride soaring as they both gave an aura of calm that he'd never been able to give.

His own calmness plummeted when a familiar presence came closer to the group. Doors opened at the entrance to the main hub of the base and the weightless feeling in Anakin's stomach became even more intense. She was here and she was coming for them all. Dread overcame him when he understood that the Sith apprentice could very well give them to Palpatine. If that was her intention then he would do everything in his power to kill everyone on this base before that became a reality.

All Imperial forces turned to attention at their commanding officer and all of the detained Rebels could feel the temperature around them drop significantly. The woman's footsteps sounded like the ticking of a clock that was about to ring in their death sentence. Anakin could feel a spike of anxiety overcome the hooded figures of Kanan and Ezra when they figured out who was coming for them, and he recalled that the two had faced off against his former student once before with disastrous result.

Through his hood he saw the Sith Lord cross her arms over her midnight-black robes. His eyes trailed up from the same colored boots, trousers, the robes, all the way to the eyes that were once blue now the trademark gold. Anakin wanted to lash out at the unfairness of it all, he wanted to take our his blind rage on any number of things that stood in front of him, but most of all Anakin wanted to save her from the fate that was nearly his own.

"Remove the hoods of these two" Discipulus commanded pointing to both Ezra and Kanan. A sadistic version of the smile Anakin knew filled him with a sickly feeling and she tapped an orange index finger on her chin. "My, my, Ezra Bridger lives! It seems that the troopers here have certainly _lied_ to me when they brought news of your death. They will pay for that later of course, but I look forward to learning what I can about such a miracle. There'll be plenty of time for that conversation since it seems the Jedi of the Rebellion have been detained".

Anakin's former student eyes Hera with obvious disdain before stopping in front of the Skywalker children. Rather than command the Stormtroopers to remove their hoods she knelt down to do the deed herself. Upon looking at their faces she found herself in a rare state of confusion. "Who might you two be? Both are obviously strong in the Force, almost overwhelmingly so. I can't help but wonder…".

As she trailed off Anakin felt her eyes snap to him and he knew that she realized who he was. For a moment, she simply stared at the cowl in front of her. How she didn't recognize him earlier he was unsure, but that ceased to matter because at that moment the most wanted man in the Empire looked his destiny in the face.

With excitement and fear the woman walked on her knees until she found herself looking into the hooded form of her former teacher. She bit her lip and with both hands she pulled the hood down to see Anakin's saddened expression. "I knew that this day would come eventually, when we would meet again. It's been so long since I saw you last, Anakin. After _years_ of searching for you I've finally found you in the unlikeliest of places".

"There's a reason for that" he told her, "you sent me into hiding".

"I offered you a choice!" she bellowed. "I offered you the chance to bring Padme into the Empire so we could make everything perfect! There's nothing to stand in the way of that future even now. Between the both of us there was more than enough power to overthrow the Emperor and bring back true peace. We could have had everything we would ever want or need, we still can!".

"That's what you don't understand. I don't need any of that anymore, not the revenge or the power that you seek. It doesn't interest me".

"That's a lie, we both know it! The Jedi threw you out the moment they found out about your child, they deserved their fate!"

"No" he told her shaking his head sadly, "I could have stayed, but I would have never known my child. The Jedi would have kept that son or daughter in the dark, they would have been raised without their parents and that was something I couldn't allow. That's when Padme and I decided to leave everything while we could" he confessed scooting closer to the fallen Ahsoka as he stared into the golden pupils. "We found you so we could start a new life, a new family that both of us had been robbed of. There was always the chance that we would be found out by the Jedi, but that was a chance we would take".

"That's why they had to _die"_ the Sith Lord said through gritted teeth and clenching her fist. "They were never going to let you live in peace until they found that baby and brought it back to raise in your place. Palpatine may have manipulated us both, but he his information was correct. The Jedi were actively hunting you down, they were going to ruin our family and that was something I couldn't allow to happen".

"So you sold yourself? The Emperor was going to kill you if he ever found me, Ahsoka. You're a tool to him, replaceable. When you sought him out because of that information he was hoping you'd bring me with you, and right after the purge you were marked for death. Can you not see that?" he all but begged her. "That's something I couldn't allow to happen".

"That's why you had the choice, Anakin! You could have assisted me in overthrowing him then we could make the galaxy safe for all of us. Only through absolute power can we make sure that there is no Jedi, no Rebellion, and no Emperor to interfere with our safety".

"Raising a child in a palace of horrors is not possible. My conscience wouldn't be clean; I couldn't raise my child knowing that they're safe at the expense of millions of others. Padme wouldn't be able to live with that and I couldn't live with myself. There was another way and we took it".

"Look where that has brought you" she said standing to her full height. The golden eyes of Discipulus turned slightly to look at the two teenagers to Anakin's left who both wore expressions of emotional pain. Neither looked away from her former teacher and friend, and they didn't pay her any attention. "What happened to your child?"

"I didn't have a child" Anakin told her honestly, the truth in his words filling her with more rage than she had felt previously. Her hand went to her belt and unhitched the hilt of her shoto, gripping it tight enough that her knuckles lightened in color.

The Sith Lady strode over to the teenager she approached first, eyeing him with open contempt. She yanked Ezra's hair back then pressed the hilt of her unignited blade against his neck, a twitch of her finger and the boy would be impaled through the windpipe. Her face began to snarl as she drank in the boy's fear like water. It filled her with an addicting power, one that would feed her movements. The Jedi would be destroyed until there were no more that could harm the two she cared about. They had gotten him into this mess, and they were the reason she no longer had a family. Just one press of the button.

"Don't".

"Why?" she spat twisting her head towards Anakin. "They deserve death like the rest of their kind. Windu, Yoda, Barriss, they're all causes of your suffering just like these three".

"No, they aren't. Ezra had nothing to do with what happened, he's just a boy fighting for what he believes in. It's what you did, it's what I did so long ago. If anything these two Jedi have opened my eyes to many things that I've ignored for years. Don't harm them because of the past, let it go".

"You care for them". It was a statement, not a question and one they both knew for a fact. Anakin merely held his gaze at her as Discipulus changed from staring at him and Ezra, never moving her blade from its spot. He could see the rage building inside of her, the change in the Force became palpable until the barely controlled calmness became uncontained anger. "Then you must choose".

"Ahsoka.."

"You know that is not my name!" she cried. "It's time for you to choose Anakin between me and them". The binding around his wrists fell to the metal plating of the airstrip and the Chosen One unhooked the hilt of his blade. "Leave him alone, do not fire. Let him choose between his family and these criminals".

In horror, Anakin watched his former apprentice and the godmother of his children ignite her two crimson blades in preparation for fatal slashes against Kanan and Ezra. Without hesitation he leapt in front of the two Jedi with his own weapon ignited and defended them from any mortal blows.

"You – you choose them?" she whispered as angry tears clouded her vision.

"My decision is for them not to die, the same that choice that would be made for you. You're my family and I'll always protect you, but you can't kill them. They're innocent in any wrong doing to me or you".

Though gritted teeth and through their interlocking blades she spoke, "no one is innocent in this. Once they're truly dead then perhaps you'll finally meet your destiny!" Taking a step backwards the Sith Lady found herself in a ready for combat. Hesitancy held true in her eyes, and Anakin could tell she didn't want to fight him. Just as before she had forced his hand, so he took the offensive against his former student.

Rebels and Imperials alike watched in awe as the two danced around one another's attacks. Blow for blow was met by a blue or red blade, neither willing to give their full effort or let the other press an advantage. Anakin's slashes towards her wrists or legs were obvious to his opponent who took could see the attacks coming easily. The flip from Discipulus followed by her hesitation to stab was easily parried by her former Master. To the Rebels and Imperials the fight looked far more deadly than any they had seen before, to the combatants it was sparring practice.

Their blades interlocked inches away from the faces of the combatants, heat poured onto both of them. Eyes of gold and blue locked onto one another over the clashing weapons, each holding hurt in the gaze. Much needed to be said between them though their lips remained sealed. For a moment Anakin believed he saw a tinge of blue overcome the gold, yet as soon as it arrived it vanished.

"Come with me, Anakin. It is the only way".

With all of the energy he could muster Anakin released a wave of kinetic energy at the Sith Lady. Her eyes widened in surprise as she became weightless until her body landed hard on the ground at the feet of Luke and Leia. The air left her lungs, leaving her wheezing lightly.

Discipulus gathered herself on her knees, making a plan in her mind. Just when Anakin began to step forward she moved swiftly behind the twins with the deactivated lightsabers aimed at the base of their skulls. "These two are unnaturally attached to you Master" she wheezed, "are they your new apprentices? It seems they hold you back, perhaps they should die first".

"Don't do this" he whispered loud enough for her to hear. The normally strong voice broke when he saw the danger his two saviors, his flesh and blood, were in. A nightmare he had lived out so many times in his sleep became a reality before his eyes. "Please, you can't take them from me".

"They're a weakness, they're Jedi! You don't need them in your life. You don't-"

"Father" Luke called softly with fear in his voice. That wasn't a cry for help, but one that was meant to silence the elder Skywalker. Turning his head over his shoulder the teenager found himself staring into the Sith Lady whose mouth had fallen agape. He offered her a shy smile, but she did nothing in response, only stared.

"Father" she whispered.

He nodded to her. "My name is Luke and she's my sister, Leia. Father didn't lie to you when he said he didn't have _a_ child since he actually had two of them. We've heard many things about Father's student, and how she'd do anything to protect our family. Our godmother was out there somewhere, and our parents told us we'd meet her eventually. Didn't think we'd meet her this way".

"Godmother?"

"Yes, Ahsoka". Anakin placed his weapon on his belt then stood beside his lost 'sister'. He knelt in front of his children and the now emotional woman. "They were born not long after you left us. We felt that it was only natural that you be their Aunt and godmother as you were the one who pledged to protect our child. They're your family like they are mine, and if you take them or their friends away then you are failing the promise you made them all those years ago. Don't you understand?"

"Ahsoka" he said placing his gloved hand under her chin. Tears were forming in her eyes and falling freely down her pale orange skin. To Anakin's surprise, he saw the conflict between blue and orange in her pupils, filling him with raw determination. "Don't hurt them, keep your promise like I kept mine. I won't let _anyone_ hurt you, never. If you care about us then you'll help me destroy Palpatine and whatever weapon he has. It's our job to protect them, both of us".

"You'll join me?"

"No. If we take control then we make ourselves a target just like the Emperor does. You and I can make them safe by taking out the man who started this all, taking out his weapon, then allowing the Rebellion to start their own government with our own input".

"But…they'll kill me". The way she spoke came out broken, like she was a teenager under his wing again. Gone was the aggressive voice of the Sith Lady and in its place the teenager he had grown so close to.

"I won't let them. Should they threaten you then I'll leave with you and we can have the family we tried so hard for. Please, let them go and let's do this together".

Slowly she nodded in acquiescence. Her eyes lifted from the ground, nearly fully blue to Anakin's relief. The woman dropped her weapons to place her hands on the cheeks of her adoptive niece and nephew. "I'm so sorry. Go, all of you".

"Lady Discipulus!" cried one of the officers, "these are wanted criminals by the Emperor himself, we cannot let them walk free".

With a wave of her hand the woman allowed the restraints on the twins, and Phoenix Squadron drop. Her eyes still bore hatred for Ezra and Kanan, but she motioned for them to exit. Many of the troopers began to level their weapons towards the running forms then dropped the weapons when they felt pressure on their windpipes.

"Father!" Leia yelled as they reached the grassy plains.

A happiness and relief came over Anakin even though there was much left to do. He shared a look with the uncertain Togruta who played with her hands nervously. "This is what I was meant to do" he told his children. "Go back, tell your Mother that I've succeeded. I'll find you as soon as I can, but this is something her and I must do. I love you both, now _go_!".

Ezra took the hands of the twins who were both shouting to their parents. With all of the strength he could muster he pulled the Skywalkers away from the scene until their feet moved of their own accord. While their feet moved Ezra found himself praying to all Gods who would listen that Anakin would complete his mission and return safely to them all.

. . .

The flight back to Yavin IV was quiet. Ezra felt obligated to comfort his two friends, but he offered them his empty quarters to console one another. For the moment, it left him, Hera, and Kanan alone in the quarters alone. Awkward air fell over the three of them as the eldest two still had yet to speak to one another about their falling out. It left him in an terribly uncomfortable position, one he wished he could get out of immediately.

As Ezra sat himself down at the booth in the common room Hera approached him with a datapad in hand. She slid the device over to him with an interested expression and said, "when we entered the ship Anakin placed that in the cockpit. It had been given to him this morning, but he told me about it in case he didn't return. I didn't read it, I figured you would tell us about it when you were ready".

With trepidation he took the device from Hera and turned it on. The woman slid in next to him as his eyes looked over the brief message for him.

 _Ezra,_

 _I'm leaving the Rebellion today. Don't look for me, I want to be alone._

 _I'm sorry,_

 _Sabine_

"What is it?" Hera asked from beside him.

Turning off the datapad and setting it in his robes he shook his head, "it's from Sabine, she left".

" _Left?_ "

"Yeah. She asked me not to look for her, so I won't. I just...I don't want to see her now. Maybe someday we'll meet again, but for now it hurts too much".

Hera slid her arm around his shoulders and brought him close to her. The comfort that came with the contact began to alleviate the hurt that came from losing Anakin and Sabine. Slowly, his eyes slid shut as she placed her hand around his shoulders. "Maybe someday she'll come back to us, Ezra. I hope that when she does that she's found herself again".

"Yeah…someday".

 _To be continued_ …

 **The reason why most of this is from Anakin's point of view was to explain why Darth Vader didn't exist in this universe and to close out the Galactic Civil War. Since the war is over it allows for a new story to focus entirely on a new conflict without the Rebellion or the Empire. It's a lot more freedom to explore characters, which is more fun in my opinion. That's what I wanted to do in the first place, this was just how I got there.**


	23. Chapter 23

**I just wanted to thank everyone who read this story. Those who have are definitely passionate fans who care a lot about Rebels. Normally, I don't put in personal stuff** ** _,_** **but this has given me a chance to forget about a personal issue I've been dealing with. Nothing too bad like drugs or relationships, but it's an outlet nonetheless. I'll work on the sequel in the near future, so I hope that you all bear with me until then. I'll notify you through here when it's up.**

 **Epilogue**

 _Three years later…_

The couch called to her tired body even though she had slept soundly through the night. After spending the night watching the news and painting in her house's common room Sabine simply collapsed into the cushions. Along with the sunlight trickling through the large sliding glass doors it seemed that her family was keen on waking her up from her sleep.

"Good morning Sabine" her father called to her as she stepped onto the wooden floors. The man walked over to her on the couch, and she could almost feel him eye her strangely. "Why'd you sleep on the couch?"

She groaned, but never turned over. Instead she pulled the orange jacket tighter around her body to keep warm in the Winter air. "Stayed up late watching the news and painting".

"So I see. Did the news inspire this one too?"

In the land of dreams she had completely forgotten about the masterpiece that took her into the wee hours of the morning. Sabine turned her tired body to face the projector and the easel she had been using the day before. Memories from the previous night came back with vengeance giving her reason to continue feeling better just like she had every morning since returning home to sober up.

Inspired by news reports she decided to paint another mural of her second family finishing to conflict against the remnants of the Empire. In the background she had placed Hera, Zeb, and Chopper in hand to hand combat against an Imperial Officer and two Stormtroopers. It wasn't anything elegant, though it included them as the news did. In the forefront she had Kanan locked in hand to hand combat against one of the few remaining royal guards, and beside him was Ezra leading the charge with his lightsaber held high in the air.

In the years since she had left Ezra had changed the most. The news seemed to fall in love with the one-time beggar and used him as one of the poster-boys for the New Republic. Every time she looked on the news his purple-bearded face was there to greet her. Compared to the Skywalker family Ezra barely got any air time, but she found herself feeling sick when Leia appeared fighting beside her brother or Father, so she focused on the boy whose heart she shattered.

Guilt accompanied her every day like it was a raincloud, one that she welcomed. In the beginning of her recovery she tried to avoid the feeling since it always brought with it the realization of what she had done. The chance she had secretly hoped for was shattered because she had been sick mentally and physically. Shame kept her activities in check and had driven her back to her home to give her a place to heal. Her parents kept most of their thoughts to themselves when she had informed them of what she'd done, though they did lock her away until the numerous drugs she'd been into left her system. Now that she'd been sober for over two years she couldn't be more thankful for their actions.

Sabine's Father still waited an answer from his daughter, and after she rolled back into her pillow she answered, "it did. Cameras followed them to some outpost in the midrim. There had been some pretty good footage, got my imagination working".

"It's had your imagination working for a long time". Her Father sat down on the sliver of available space on the couch while looking at her latest work. "Have you thought about contacting them?"

"Every day, but I'm not ready for that yet".

"You aren't or you don't think that _they_ are? It's been a long time, Sabine. It seems possible that they miss you enough to forgive you for what you've done. I've seen you take responsibility for you actions, and you're clearly full of regret. Staying in this home isn't permanent, apologizing to them should be the next priority".

Sabine turned around to face her parent; the skin that once had been so pale was now full of color, the eyes that were bloodshot now were back to their beautiful almond hue, and her hair no longer held the unhealthy sheen from years prior. Nobody would have been able to tell that she had been in a place so dark that she had destroyed her relationships with the group she still called her second family.

"You didn't see what I did to them, you've only heard about it" she told him. "Hearing and seeing are two totally different things, Father. Apologizing has never been a forte of mine, I'd find a way to screw that up just like I did when Ezra disappeared".

"Somehow I doubt that. You watch them on the news every single day and you paint their deeds every morning afterwards. No longer do you take that for granted, you cherish them from afar. With the mentality you have now you couldn't ruin that chance. Plenty of work will have to be put in to show them you mean it, but it's mendable. After all, if those friends of yours could take down the Empire and kill that tyrant then anything is possible".

"Anything…" One thing came to her mind, the thing she gave up the day before she left Yavin IV, the very thing she'd take back over anything else. The fall of the Empire is a feat that shouldn't be overlooked, it could be a miracle. Compared to finding her way into a heart she stomped on though, it was the easiest thing in the universe.

He patted her leg as he stood up and spoke, "anything. Now come, we're meeting the heads of the other houses to discuss the this 'shadow' that everyone has been speaking of".


	24. Sequel!

**Hey everyone! The first chapter for the sequel, "From the Ashes" is up I think. I posted it so if it isn't then check my page so it should be somewhere. Thanks for waiting and this is the one I wanted to write anyway. Hope the first chapter is a good tease and worth the wait.**


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